The exact verbs for what hands do, what things do when they go wrong, and how people treat each other.
Where a beginner says 取る, 持つ or 言う, these verbs say exactly what is done: 握りしめる, 拭う, 怒鳴る, からかう. Many of them lead a second, figurative life that is at least as common as the first — you are ruled by the clock with 時間に縛られる, cannot shake off a worry with 拭えない and cannot put a failure behind you with 引きずる — so the notes give both. Several have a partner, one transitive and one not: 濡らす and 濡れる, ほどく and ほどける, ひっくり返す and ひっくり返る. A good number are usually written in kana, and the list shows them that way.
The words
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Verb (40)
揉むto rub; to massageVerbN2
肩が凝ったので、妻に揉んでもらった。My shoulders were stiff, so my wife massaged them.
Also 気を揉む, to fret.
かばうto protect; to stick up forVerbN2
兄は、叱られている私をいつもかばってくれた。My older brother always stuck up for me when I was being told off.
Usually written in kana; also of an injury: 痛めた足をかばう, to favour a hurt leg.
擦るto rub; to scrubVerbN2
眠そうに目を擦りながら、子供が起きてきた。The child got up, sleepily rubbing his eyes.
Often written in kana.
拭うto wipe (away)VerbN2
彼はハンカチで額の汗を拭った。He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
More written than 拭く; also 不安を拭えない, cannot shake off a worry.
ごまかすto gloss over; to cheatVerbN2
彼は笑ってごまかそうとしたが、誰も信じなかった。He tried to laugh it off, but nobody believed him.
Of facts, figures and feelings; also to cheat someone out of money. Usually in kana.
めくるto turn over (a page); to flipVerbN2
彼女は黙ってページをめくり続けた。She went on turning the pages in silence.
Usually written in kana; of pages, cards and calendars.
見張るto keep watch overVerbN2
荷物は私が見張っているから、切符を買ってきて。I will keep an eye on the bags, so go and buy the tickets.
Also 目を見張る, to stare in amazement.
構うto mind; to bother aboutVerbN2
私のことは構わないで、先に行ってください。Do not worry about me; please go on ahead.
Mostly in the negative: 構いません, it does not matter.
縛るto tie up; to bindVerbN2
古い新聞をひもで縛って、ごみに出した。I tied the old newspapers up with string and put them out with the rubbish.
Also of rules and time: 時間に縛られる, to be a slave to the clock.
ほどくto untie; to undoVerbN2
荷物のひもをほどいて、中身を確かめた。I untied the string on the parcel and checked what was inside.
Usually written in kana; the intransitive partner is ほどける.
束ねるto bundle; to tie backVerbN2
料理をするときは、長い髪を後ろで束ねる。When I cook, I tie my long hair back.
Also of people: to lead a group and hold it together.
書き留めるto write down; to noteVerbN2
聞いた電話番号を、忘れないうちに手帳に書き留めた。I wrote the phone number down in my diary before I could forget it.
つまむto pick up with the fingers; to nibbleVerbN2
台所で、できたばかりのおかずを一つつまんだ。In the kitchen I helped myself to a bite of a dish that had just been made.
Also 鼻をつまむ, to hold one’s nose.
握りしめるto clutch; to grip tightlyVerbN2
子供は母親の手を握りしめて、離そうとしなかった。The child clutched his mother's hand and would not let go.
Holding on hard, often out of fear or strong feeling; also written 握り締める.
なだめるto soothe; to calm downVerbN2
泣いている子供を、母親が優しくなだめていた。The mother was gently soothing her crying child.
Usually written in kana.
吊るすto hang (from something)VerbN2
窓の外に風鈴を吊るした。I hung a wind chime outside the window.
Of something hanging free from above; a picture on a wall is 掛ける.
引きずるto dragVerbN2
彼は足を引きずりながら帰ってきた。He came home dragging one leg.
Also of feelings: 失敗を引きずる, to be unable to put a failure behind you.
ひっくり返すto knock over; to turn overVerbN2
猫がテーブルの上のコップをひっくり返した。The cat knocked over the cup on the table.
The intransitive partner is ひっくり返る.
からかうto tease; to make fun ofVerbN2
兄はいつも、私の字が下手だとからかう。My older brother is always teasing me about my bad handwriting.
Playful rather than cruel; bullying is いじめる.
濡らすto get something wetVerbN2
雨で大事な書類を濡らしてしまった。I let important papers get wet in the rain.
The intransitive partner is 濡れる.
湿るto become dampVerbN2
梅雨の間は、洗濯物がいつまでも湿っている。In the rainy season the washing stays damp for ages.
Sounds like 閉める, to close; the kanji tell them apart.
溢れるto overflow; to be full ofVerbN2
駅は帰宅する人で溢れていた。The station was overflowing with people heading home.
Often written in kana; also of feelings: 涙が溢れる.
こぼすto spill; to grumbleVerbN2
子供がジュースを服にこぼした。The child spilled juice on his clothes.
Also 愚痴をこぼす, to grumble.
呼び止めるto call (someone) back; to stop someoneVerbN2
店を出たところで、店員に呼び止められた。Just as I left the shop, an assistant called me back.
剥げるto peel; to come off (of paint, a coating)VerbN2
古い家なので、壁のペンキがあちこち剥げている。It is an old house, and the paint on the walls is peeling in places.
Of paint, gilt and varnish wearing away; a sticker or a poster that comes off is 剥がれる.
口ずさむto hum; to sing to oneselfVerbN2
母は料理をしながら、昔の歌を口ずさんでいた。My mother was humming an old song as she cooked.
怒鳴るto shout at; to yellVerbN2
子供のころ、父によく怒鳴られた。When I was a child, my father often yelled at me.
Loud and angry; 叫ぶ is to cry out for any reason.
敷くto spread out; to layVerbN2
寝る前に、畳の上に布団を敷く。Before going to bed, I lay the futon out on the tatami.
Of anything laid flat: a futon, a rug, a railway line.
待ち構えるto wait ready for; to lie in waitVerbN2
駅の出口で、記者たちが選手を待ち構えていた。Reporters were waiting for the players at the station exit.
立て替えるto pay for someone for the time beingVerbN2
財布を忘れたので、同僚に昼食代を立て替えてもらった。I had forgotten my wallet, so a colleague paid for my lunch until I could pay it back.
The money is to be paid back; おごる is to treat.
駆けつけるto rush (to the scene)VerbN2
知らせを聞いて、家族が病院に駆けつけた。When they heard the news, the family rushed to the hospital.
怠けるto be lazy; to slack offVerbN2
怠けていたせいで、試験の前に慌てることになった。Because I had been slacking, I ended up in a panic before the exam.
Of a person; 怠る, the same kanji, is to neglect a duty.
くつろぐto relax; to make oneself at homeVerbN2
どうぞ、ゆっくりくつろいでください。Please make yourself at home.
Usually written in kana.
甘やかすto spoil (someone)VerbN2
祖母は孫を甘やかしてばかりいる。My grandmother does nothing but spoil her grandchildren.
The other side is 甘える, to presume on someone’s kindness.
ねだるto pester for; to coaxVerbN2
息子に、ゲームを買ってほしいとねだられた。My son kept on at me to buy him a game.
Usually of children asking for something; written in kana.
遮るto interrupt; to blockVerbN2
彼は私の話を遮って、自分の意見を言い始めた。He cut me off and started giving his own opinion.
Of words and of light: カーテンで日差しを遮る.
塞ぐto block up; to coverVerbN2
工事のトラックが道を塞いでいる。A works lorry is blocking the road.
Also 耳を塞ぐ, to put one’s hands over one’s ears.
もてなすto entertain (guests); to hostVerbN2
週末は友人を家に招いて、手料理でもてなした。At the weekend I invited friends round and treated them to home cooking.
The noun おもてなし is the care a host takes over guests.
値切るto haggle; to beat down the priceVerbN2
市場で値切ったら、少し安くしてくれた。When I haggled at the market, they let me have it a bit cheaper.
取り寄せるto order in; to send forVerbN2
店に在庫がなかったので、取り寄せてもらった。The shop had none in stock, so I had them order one in.
