Essential Verbs

Introduction

N1 verbs are the backbone of sophisticated Japanese. They let you describe emergence, restraint, distortion, succession, abandonment, and the other complex movements that advanced reading depends on.

Because verbs shape the logic of whole sentences, this chapter has an outsized effect on how naturally you can read, infer, and express advanced ideas in Japanese.

Themes

All JLPT N1 Vocabulary in This Chapter (399)

1. 締め出す しめだす To shut out; to lock out; to exclude. To bar someone from entering or participating by closing off access.
2. しゃしゃり出る しゃしゃりでる To intrude; to butt in; to push oneself forward uninvited. To step into a situation where one is not needed or wanted.
3. しゃぶる しゃぶる To suck; to lick; to suck on. To place something in the mouth and draw on it with the lips or tongue.
4. 逡巡する しゅんじゅんする To hesitate; to vacillate; to waver. To be unable to make up one's mind due to uncertainty, fear, or conflicting feelings.
5. 嘱する しょくする To entrust; to commission; to request. To formally charge or commission someone with a task or responsibility.
6. 斟酌する しんしゃくする To take into consideration; to make allowance for; to temper. To carefully weigh circumstances before acting or judging.
7. 蹂躙する じゅうりんする To trample; to violate; to ravage. To crush or override ruthlessly, especially rights, territory, or people.
8. 据え置く すえおく To leave as is; to defer; to maintain (a rate or price). To keep something in its current state without change.
9. すくい上げる すくいあげる To scoop up; to rescue; to pick up. To lift something out of a lower position, physically or figuratively.
10. 荒む すさむ To become rough; to become desolate; to deteriorate. To grow wild, coarse, or morally degraded over time.
11. すっぽかす すっぽかす To stand someone up; to skip; to miss on purpose. To fail to keep an appointment or obligation without warning.
12. 窄まる すぼまる To narrow; to contract; to taper. To become smaller or more restricted in width or opening.
13. 窄める すぼめる To narrow; to contract; to pucker; to close. To make something smaller in width or opening.
14. 住み着く すみつく To settle down; to take up residence. To establish oneself in a place and remain there long-term.
15. 擦り合わせる すりあわせる To coordinate; to align; to reconcile; to rub together. To compare and adjust two things until they match or mesh smoothly.
16. 刷り込む すりこむ To imprint; to impress upon; to ingrain. To fix something deeply in the mind through repeated exposure or conditioning.
17. 擦り減る すりへる To wear down; to be worn away; to be eroded. To become thinner or smaller through sustained friction or use.
18. 擦り寄る すりよる To sidle up to; to cosy up to; to ingratiate oneself. To move close to someone in a fawning or self-serving manner.
19. 背負い込む せおいこむ To take on; to shoulder; to burden oneself with. To voluntarily or involuntarily assume a heavy responsibility or obligation.
20. 塞き止める せきとめる To dam up; to block; to hold back; to stem. To stop the flow of something by placing an obstruction.
21. 迫る せまる To approach; to draw near; to press; to urge. To come close threateningly or urgently, or to demand something insistently.
22. 攻め入る せめいる To invade; to attack; to charge into. To enter enemy territory or a place aggressively in an offensive manoeuvre.
23. 削ぎ落とす そぎおとす To strip away; to pare down; to cut off. To remove unnecessary parts by slicing until only the essential remains.
24. 削ぐ そぐ To chip; to whittle; to dampen; to reduce. To shave away material or diminish the force, enthusiasm, or scale of something.
25. 備わる そなわる To be endowed with; to be equipped with; to possess naturally. To have a quality, ability, or feature as an inherent attribute.
26. 聳え立つ そびえたつ To tower; to rise high above the surroundings; to soar imposingly into the sky.
27. 聳える そびえる To tower; to soar; to rise high above the surroundings.
28. たかる たかる To swarm; to mob; to extort money; to sponge off someone; to cadge.
29. 焚き付ける たきつける To incite; to stir up; to instigate; to kindle a fire or strong emotion in someone.
30. 手繰り寄せる たぐりよせる To pull in hand over hand; to draw toward oneself; to reel in.
31. 嗜む たしなむ To have a taste for; to enjoy as a pastime; to be versed in an art or accomplishment; to be temperate and restrained.
32. 窘める たしなめる To admonish gently; to rebuke; to reprove someone for a fault or improper behaviour.
33. 携える たずさえる To carry with one; to take along; to bring; to go together with someone.
34. 叩き上げる たたきあげる To work one's way up from the bottom; to build up from nothing through hard effort.
35. 佇まう たたずまう To stand quietly in one place; to linger; to loiter; to remain still.
36. 畳み掛ける たたみかける To press hard in rapid succession; to follow up relentlessly; to pile on without letting up.
37. 正す ただす To correct; to set right; to reform; to straighten; to inquire formally.
38. 立ち入る たちいる To enter; to trespass; to step into; to go into detail; to pry into private matters.
39. 立ち遅れる たちおくれる To fall behind; to lag; to be slow to start; to be late in getting going.
40. 立ち返る たちかえる To return to; to go back to the beginning; to revert to a fundamental principle or starting point.
41. 断ち切る たちきる To cut off; to sever completely; to break off ties or a habit; to put an end to.
42. 立ち直る たちなおる To recover; to bounce back; to get back on one's feet after a setback or difficulty.
43. 立ちはだかる たちはだかる To stand in the way; to block the path; to obstruct; to confront as an obstacle.
44. 立ち塞がる たちふさがる To stand in the way; to block; to obstruct a path or passage.
45. 立て籠もる たてこもる To barricade oneself in; to hole up; to shut oneself in and refuse to come out.
46. 立て直す たてなおす To rebuild; to reconstruct; to restore to a proper state; to reorganise.
47. 辿る たどる To trace; to follow a path; to pursue; to go along; to arrive at after a long journey.
48. 頼み込む たのみこむ To plead with; to beg earnestly; to implore; to press someone with an urgent request.
49. 恃む たのむ To rely on; to count on; to place confidence in; to trust in as a source of strength.
50. 躊躇う ためらう To hesitate; to waver; to falter; to be unable to act decisively.
51. 足る たる To be sufficient; to be worth; to deserve. Asserts that something meets a required standard or merits consideration.
52. 抱き込む だきこむ To win someone over to one's side; to co-opt or recruit; to bring into one's inner circle, often through persuasion or inducement.
53. 出し抜く だしぬく To outmanoeuvre someone; to steal a march on a rival; to get the better of someone by acting before they can respond.
54. ちやほやする ちやほやする To pamper; to fawn over; to flatter someone excessively; to treat with hollow indulgence.
55. 凋落する ちょうらくする To decline; to wither; to fall into decay. Describes the gradual deterioration of power, prestige, or vitality.
56. 散りばめる ちりばめる To stud with; to set (gems); to scatter; to intersperse elements throughout something.
57. つかみ取る つかみとる To grab; to seize; to grasp firmly; to take hold of something with determination and effort.
58. 突き進む つきすすむ To push forward relentlessly; to press on; to advance through obstacles without hesitation.
59. 突き付ける つきつける To thrust before someone; to present something suddenly and forcefully; to confront someone with a fact or demand they cannot evade.
60. 突き詰める つきつめる To investigate thoroughly; to think something through to its logical conclusion; to push a question to its ultimate depth.
61. 突き放す つきはなす To push away; to reject with force; to leave someone to fend for themselves; to maintain cold emotional distance.
62. 突き破る つきやぶる To break through; to pierce; to tear through; to overcome a barrier by force.
63. 繕う つくろう To mend; to repair; to patch up; to smooth over a situation; to maintain appearances.
64. 突っ走る つっぱしる To dash; to rush headlong; to go full speed without regard for consequences.
65. 突っ撥ねる つっぱねる To flatly refuse; to reject outright; to brush off without consideration; to rebuff curtly.
66. 綴る つづる To spell out; to write; to compose; to put words or pages together with care.
67. つなぎ止める つなぎとめる To tie down; to keep in place; to retain; to hold on to something or someone so they do not drift away.
68. つねる つねる To pinch; to nip the skin between the fingers; to tweak.
69. つまびらかにする つまびらかにする To make something clear; to clarify; to elucidate; to explain in full and thorough detail.
70. 紡ぐ つむぐ To spin (thread); to weave a narrative; to create something with patience and continuity.
71. 詰め寄る つめよる To press someone hard; to close in on; to demand answers aggressively; to corner someone with questions or accusations.
72. 貫き通す つらぬきとおす To carry through to the end; to stick with one's position or resolve without wavering; to persist with to the very last.
73. 連ねる つらねる To line up; to list in sequence; to string together; to arrange in a row or series.
74. 呈す ていす To present; to display; to show; to offer. A formal and concise verb for exhibiting a quality or formally submitting something.
75. 呈する ていする To present; to show; to display; to exhibit a quality or state. The standard modern suru-verb form for formal exhibition.
76. 手懐ける てなずける To tame; to domesticate; to win someone over. Describes bringing a creature or person under one's influence through patient effort.
77. 手放す てばなす To release; to let go of; to part with; to sell. Implies relinquishing something one held or owned.
78. 照らし合わせる てらしあわせる To compare; to cross-reference; to check one thing against another. Used when verifying accuracy by examining two sources side by side.
79. 手を拱く てをこまねく To fold one's arms; to stand by idle; to do nothing in a situation that demands action.
80. 手を染める てをそめる To begin something; to get involved in; to take up an activity — often one that is risky, unsavoury, or a significant new venture.
81. 出くわす でくわす To run into; to come across unexpectedly; to encounter by chance.
82. 問いかける といかける To question; to pose a question to; to address with a query — often directed at the conscience, society, or a specific person.
83. 問い糺す といただす To question closely; to interrogate strictly; to examine by persistent inquiry.
84. 問い直す といなおす To reexamine; to ask again; to reconsider from the ground up.
85. 通り越す とおりこす To go past; to overshoot; to go beyond a target point — physically or metaphorically.
86. 解き放つ ときはなつ To set free; to release; to unleash. Implies liberating something that was bound, confined, or suppressed.
87. 研ぎ澄ます とぎすます To sharpen to a fine edge; to hone; to heighten one's senses or faculties to peak acuity.
88. 研ぐ とぐ To sharpen; to grind; to whet; to polish; to wash (rice). A versatile verb covering the physical act of honing or cleaning by friction.
89. 溶け合う とけあう To melt together; to blend; to merge harmoniously; to fuse into one.
90. 溶け込む とけこむ To blend in; to merge into; to dissolve into — a group, an environment, or a substance.
91. 嫁ぐ とつぐ To marry into (a family); to be given in marriage; to wed — used exclusively of a woman marrying.
92. 留める とどめる To stop; to keep in place; to confine; to limit; to retain. Implies preventing movement or change.
93. 灯す ともす To light; to ignite; to kindle a light or flame.
94. 取り組む とりくむ To tackle; to grapple with; to work seriously on a task or challenge.
95. 取り沙汰する とりざたする To gossip about; to rumour; to be talked about widely — often without confirmed fact.
96. 取り仕切る とりしきる To manage; to take full charge of; to oversee and run entirely.
97. 取り繕う とりつくろう To keep up appearances; to make a superficial repair; to gloss over or patch up a situation.
98. 取り巻く とりまく To surround; to encircle; to gather around. Used for physical encirclement and for describing the environment or people around someone.
99. 取り戻す とりもどす To take back; to regain; to recover something lost.
100. 取り止める とりやめる To cancel; to call off; to abandon a plan or action that was in progress.
101. 仰ぐ あおぐ To look up at; to revere or respect; to ask for (guidance or instructions). A versatile verb covering both physical and metaphorical senses.
102. 煽る あおる To fan (a flame); to incite or instigate; to stir up emotions or a crowd. Implies provocation or agitation.
103. 明かす あかす To reveal or disclose (a secret, truth, or identity); to spend or pass (the night). Two distinct but common usages.
104. 明け渡す あけわたす To hand over; to surrender (territory or a position); to vacate (a property). Implies relinquishing control or possession.
105. 漁る あさる To search through; to rummage; to forage or fish for. Implies an active, sometimes frantic search through a collection of things.
106. 嘲る あざける To mock; to ridicule; to jeer at; to scoff at. Implies contemptuous derision directed at a person or their actions.
107. 仇を返す あだをかえす To return evil for good; to repay a kindness with harm; to retaliate against a benefactor. A strongly negative set phrase.
108. 暴れ回る あばれまわる To rampage; to run amok; to act violently while moving around. Suggests wide-ranging, uncontrolled violent behaviour.
109. 浴びせる あびせる To pour or shower something onto someone; to heap (criticism, praise, or abuse) upon a person. Used both literally and figuratively.
110. 溢れ出す あふれだす To overflow and gush out; to spill over; to well up and pour forth. Suggests a sudden or uncontrolled release of something that had accum...
111. 炙り出す あぶりだす To bring to light; to expose; to reveal something hidden (originally by applying heat, as with invisible ink). The figurative sense is pr...
112. 炙る あぶる To roast, grill, or toast over a flame; to warm by a fire. Refers specifically to cooking or heating by direct exposure to fire or heat.
113. 余す あます To leave over; to have remaining; to spare. Often used in the set phrase 余すところなく (thoroughly, without leaving anything out).
114. 甘んじる あまんじる To content oneself with; to resign oneself to; to accept (something undesirable) without complaint. Implies passive acceptance of an unsa...
115. 歩み寄る あゆみよる To approach; to make concessions; to compromise; to meet someone halfway. Implies a deliberate move toward agreement or reconciliation.
116. 抗う あらがう To resist; to oppose; to defy. Implies actively struggling against a force, authority, or inevitable circumstance.
117. 改める あらためる To change; to reform; to revise; to renew. Implies deliberate correction or improvement of something that was inadequate or incorrect.
118. 言い含める いいふくめる To give careful private instructions; to caution someone beforehand; to tell someone what to do or not do in no uncertain terms.
119. 言い渡す いいわたす To pronounce; to hand down (a verdict or sentence); to formally notify someone of a decision. Used in legal, medical, and institutional c...
120. 行き詰まる いきづまる To reach a deadlock; to come to a standstill; to be stuck with no way forward. Describes a situation where progress has become impossible.
121. 行き届く いきとどく To be thorough; to be meticulous; to be attentive and complete in every detail. Often used to describe service, care, or oversight that r...
122. いきり立つ いきりたつ To get worked up; to fly into a rage; to bristle with anger or excitement. Describes a sudden surge of intense emotion, typically anger.
123. 萎縮する いしゅくする To shrink; to cower; to become inhibited or intimidated. Describes the physical and psychological contraction caused by fear, pressure, o...
124. いじける いじける To become timid or withdrawn; to sulk; to cower; to develop a warped or twisted personality due to harsh treatment.
125. 弄る いじる To fiddle with; to tamper with; to tinker or play around with something. Often implies casual, unsystematic, or unauthorised manipulation.
126. 萎える なえる To wilt; to wither; to lose energy or vitality; to become limp or feeble. Used both for plants and for human motivation, spirit, or limbs.
127. なし崩す なしくずす To do something bit by bit; to erode gradually; to whittle away at a rule, principle, or situation until it collapses.
128. 成し遂げる なしとげる To accomplish; to achieve; to fulfil a difficult goal or mission through sustained effort.
129. 馴染む なじむ To become familiar with; to fit in naturally; to blend into a new environment, group, or material.
130. なだめる なだめる To soothe; to calm down; to pacify an upset or agitated person; to appease someone's anger or distress.
131. 懐く なつく To become attached to; to take a liking to; to become tame or friendly toward a person. Used primarily of animals and children.
132. 悩ませる なやませる To trouble; to torment; to perplex or vex someone; to cause distress or worry.
133. 鳴り響く なりひびく To resound; to reverberate; to ring out powerfully and fill a space with sound.
134. 匂わせる におわせる To suggest; to hint at; to imply something without stating it directly; to give a whiff of.
135. 濁す にごす To make muddy or turbid; to obscure; to be deliberately evasive or ambiguous in speech.
136. 睨む にらむ To glare at; to stare hard at; to fix with an intimidating gaze; to suspect or have an eye on someone.
137. 抜きん出る ぬきんでる To excel; to stand out conspicuously; to surpass others by a clear margin.
138. 拭う ぬぐう To wipe; to mop up; to dispel or remove something undesirable such as a stain, tears, or a negative reputation.
139. 塗り替える ぬりかえる To repaint; to rewrite or break a record; to fundamentally transform or overturn an existing state.
140. 根ざす ねざす To be rooted in; to be grounded in; to originate from or have its foundation in something.
141. 根付く ねづく To take root; to become established; to settle in and become a permanent part of something.
142. 狙い撃つ ねらいうつ To take deliberate aim and shoot; to target someone or something selectively and intentionally.
143. 練り上げる ねりあげる To work up thoroughly; to refine and perfect through repeated revision; to elaborate into a polished, complete form.
144. 練り歩く ねりあるく To march; to parade; to walk in procession through the streets, often as part of a celebration or ceremony.
145. のさばる のさばる To act arrogantly; to dominate and behave without restraint; to run rampant; to spread unchecked.
146. 覗き見る のぞきみる To peek at; to spy on; to steal a glance at something one is not supposed to see.
147. 呑み込む のみこむ To swallow; to understand or grasp quickly; to suppress or hold back (emotions, words).
148. 乗り越える のりこえる To overcome; to surmount; to get over a difficulty, obstacle, or painful experience.
149. 乗り出す のりだす To set out on; to embark on a new venture; to lean forward eagerly; to step in and take action.
150. 居座る いすわる To remain; to stay put; to refuse to leave. Describes stubbornly occupying a place or position and refusing to vacate it.
151. 逸する いっする To miss; to let slip; to deviate from; to be lost. Describes failing to seize an opportunity or straying from an expected norm.
152. 慈しむ いつくしむ To love; to cherish; to show compassion. Implies tender, nurturing affection directed toward the vulnerable or precious.
153. 偽る いつわる To lie; to deceive; to falsify; to pretend. Covers deliberate misrepresentation of facts, identity, feelings, or intent.
154. 厭う いとう To dislike; to hate; to be reluctant to do. Suggests a deep aversion or unwillingness, often tinged with weariness or moral distaste.
155. 戒める いましめる To warn; to admonish; to caution. Also means to punish or restrain as a corrective measure. Used when someone in authority corrects or ca...
156. 忌み嫌う いみきらう To detest; to loathe; to abhor. A strong expression of intense hatred or aversion, often rooted in deep disgust or a sense of taboo.
157. 嫌がる いやがる To dislike; to be reluctant; to be unwilling. Shows visible or expressed resistance or aversion to a task, person, or situation.
158. 色めく いろめく To become agitated; to stir with excitement; to be roused. Describes a sudden shift in atmosphere when something unexpected or provocativ...
159. 植え付ける うえつける To implant; to instil; to embed. Used for embedding ideas, values, fears, or beliefs into a person's mind, often with lasting effect.
160. 窺い知る うかがいしる To perceive; to get a glimpse of; to infer from clues. Suggests detecting something hidden by reading between the lines or through carefu...
161. 蠢く うごめく To wriggle; to squirm; to stir with small movements. Evokes something alive and moving in an unsettling, restless, or barely perceptible ...
162. 嘯く うそぶく To feign ignorance; to brag brazenly; to whistle or howl. In modern usage, primarily means to speak with cool arrogance or to make a braz...
163. 打ち砕く うちくだく To smash; to shatter; to crush completely. Used both literally for breaking objects and figuratively for destroying hopes, barriers, or o...
164. 打ち立てる うちたてる To establish; to set up; to achieve. Carries a sense of founding something new or breaking a record with lasting permanence.
165. 打ちのめす うちのめす To knock down; to defeat thoroughly; to crush utterly. Implies overwhelming someone physically or emotionally, leaving no room for recovery.
166. 腕を振るう うでをふるう To display one's skill; to show what one can do; to demonstrate one's abilities to the fullest.
167. 埋め合わせる うめあわせる To make up for; to compensate; to offset. Used when trying to balance out a loss, mistake, or shortcoming with something positive.
168. 潤す うるおす To moisten; to enrich; to benefit. Covers both literal moistening of dry land or a parched throat, and figurative enrichment of the spiri...
169. 憂う うれう To grieve; to lament; to be worried about. A literary and elevated word expressing deep concern, sorrow, or anxiety — often about societa...
170. 追い打ちをかける おいうちをかける To deal a further blow; to add insult to injury; to pile on when someone is already down.
171. 覆い被さる おおいかぶさる To cover; to hang over; to loom over. Describes something large or heavy draping over or enveloping something else — physically or atmosp...
172. 仰せつかる おおせつかる To be ordered; to receive a command from a superior. A humble expression used when one has been assigned an important duty by someone of ...
173. 押し付けがましい おしつけがましい Pushy; imposing; presumptuous. Describes behaviour that forces one's views, help, or will on others without regard for their feelings or ...
174. 押し通す おしとおす To force through; to push through; to persist with one's course despite opposition. Conveys determination and stubbornness in maintaining...
175. 呪う のろう To curse; to put a hex on; to damn someone or something. Expresses intense ill-will directed at another.
176. 剥がす はがす To peel off; to strip; to remove a surface layer. Used when physically detaching something that is adhered or attached.
177. 剥がれる はがれる To peel off; to come off; to flake off. The intransitive counterpart of 剥がす — the subject detaches on its own.
178. 弾き出す はじきだす To flick out; to calculate and produce a figure; to exclude someone. Has distinct physical, computational, and social senses.
179. 弾む はずむ To bounce; to be lively; to be in high spirits. Describes both physical rebounding and emotional buoyancy.
180. 馳せる はせる To run swiftly; to let one's thoughts or feelings fly toward something distant. The figurative sense dominates modern usage.
181. 果たす はたす To fulfil; to accomplish; to carry out completely. Implies seeing something important through to its conclusion.
182. 働きかける はたらきかける To appeal to; to approach; to work on someone; to make overtures. Implies active, purposeful effort to influence or persuade.
183. 跳ね返す はねかえす To bounce back; to repel; to deflect; to reject forcefully. Used for both physical bouncing and figurative resistance.
184. 跳ね除ける はねのける To brush aside; to push away decisively; to reject with vigour. Implies a swift, emphatic removal of an obstacle.
185. 憚る はばかる To hesitate; to refrain out of deference; to have scruples; to be afraid of causing offence. Used when social or moral considerations cau...
186. 蔓延る はびこる To spread unchecked; to flourish excessively; to run rampant; to be pervasive. Used for negative phenomena spreading beyond control.
187. はまる はまる To fit perfectly; to fall into; to become absorbed in; to be hooked on. Covers both physical fitting and habitual absorption.
188. はみ出す はみだす To protrude; to stick out beyond a boundary; to overflow; to deviate from expected norms.
189. はめる はめる To put on; to fit into place; to insert; to trick or set someone up. Has both practical and deceptive meanings.
190. はらむ はらむ To be pregnant; to harbour; to contain latent risk or potential. The figurative sense is dominant in formal writing.
191. 張り付く はりつく To stick to; to cling; to adhere tenaciously; to be glued to a spot. Used for physical clinging and metaphorical fixation.
192. 張り巡らす はりめぐらす To stretch around; to set up extensively throughout an area; to deploy a network; to lay something out comprehensively.
193. 膝を打つ ひざをうつ To slap one's knee in sudden realization; to be struck with admiration; to exclaim 'that's it!' at a brilliant idea.
194. 膝を交える ひざをまじえる To sit together closely; to have a frank, intimate conversation; to consult face-to-face with full attention.
195. 引っ込む ひっこむ To withdraw; to retreat; to go inside; to stay indoors; to back down. Used for physical retreat and social withdrawal.
196. 逼迫する ひっぱくする To become critically strained; to be pressed to the limit; to reach a state of acute tightness. Used for finances, supplies, or situation...
197. 秘める ひめる To harbour within oneself; to conceal; to keep secret inside. Refers to keeping feelings, intentions, or abilities locked within, unexpre...
198. 紐解く ひもとく To unravel; to decipher; to read carefully; to open a book or document and study its contents systematically.
199. 翻す ひるがえす To reverse; to overturn; to recant; to wave or flutter. Has both physical and figurative meanings.
200. 陥る おちいる To fall into (a bad situation); to lapse into; to be caught in a trap or predicament.
201. 驚かす おどろかす To surprise; to startle; to astonish someone deliberately or inadvertently.
202. 脅かす おびやかす To threaten; to endanger; to pose a danger to; to intimidate on a broad scale.
203. 思い込む おもいこむ To be firmly convinced of something; to be under a fixed impression; to have an unfounded belief.
204. 思い知らせる おもいしらせる To make someone realise (a harsh truth); to teach someone a lesson; to force an unwelcome understanding upon someone.
205. 折り合う おりあう To reach a compromise; to come to terms; to get along with; to reconcile differences.
206. 掻い潜る かいくぐる To dodge; to evade; to slip through (surveillance, rules, or obstacles).
207. 掲げる かかげる To raise; to hoist (a flag or banner); to put up; to advocate; to set forth (a principle or goal).
208. 掻き消える かききえる To vanish; to disappear suddenly and completely; to fade away in an instant.
209. 掻き消す かきけす To drown out (a sound); to wipe out; to extinguish completely; to cause something to vanish utterly.
210. 掻き立てる かきたてる To stir up; to arouse; to whip up (emotions, curiosity, or desire); to fan the flames of.
211. 掻き回す かきまわす To stir up; to rummage through; to disturb; to throw (an organisation or situation) into confusion.
212. 嗅ぎ取る かぎとる To smell out; to detect by scent; to sense or intuit (a hidden truth, danger, or intention).
213. 格付ける かくづける To rate; to rank; to classify; to assign a grade or rating to.
214. 蔭る かげる To become cloudy; to darken; to become overshadowed; to dim (of light, mood, or prospects).
215. 託ける かこつける To use as a pretext; to make an excuse of something; to use one thing as a cover reason for doing another.
216. 重ね合わせる かさねあわせる To overlap; to superimpose; to layer one thing onto another; to project one experience onto another.
217. 嵩む かさむ To pile up; to mount; to increase; to accumulate (usually of expenses, costs, or burdens).
218. 翳す かざす To hold up; to hold over; to shade; to screen; to pass (a card) over a reader.
219. 齧る かじる To gnaw; to nibble; to have a smattering of (a subject); to dabble in superficially.
220. 傾く かたむく To tilt; to lean; to incline; to decline (of fortunes, a dynasty, or power).
221. 語り継ぐ かたりつぐ To pass down (a story or tradition) through telling; to hand down by word of mouth across generations.
222. 勝ち取る かちとる To win; to gain; to secure; to achieve through struggle and determination.
223. 掻っ捌く かっさばく To rip open; to slash open; to gut; to cut through decisively.
224. 闊歩 かっぽ Striding boldly; swaggering; walking with conspicuous confidence or self-importance.
225. 翻る ひるがえる To flutter; to wave; to turn over; to change suddenly. Describes rapid reversal or the swaying motion of fabric.
226. 怯む ひるむ To flinch; to recoil; to falter; to shrink back from fear or pressure.
227. 吹き荒れる ふきあれる To blow violently; to rage; to storm. Describes wind or figurative forces running rampant.
228. 吹き込む ふきこむ To blow into; to inspire; to instil; to record (audio). Describes both physical wind entering a space and figurative infusion of ideas or...
229. 膨らむ ふくらむ To swell; to expand; to bulge; to grow larger. Used for physical expansion and for hopes, dreams, or costs that increase.
230. 塞がる ふさがる To be blocked; to be occupied; to be in use; to be closed off.
231. 伏せる ふせる To lie face down; to turn over face-down; to conceal; to hide information.
232. 吹っ切る ふっきる To get over something; to break free from; to put behind oneself and move on.
233. 払拭する ふっしょくする To wipe away; to dispel; to erase; to eliminate completely.
234. 踏み切る ふみきる To take the plunge; to make a decisive decision; to jump from a take-off point.
235. 踏み込む ふみこむ To step into; to break into; to delve deeply into a subject.
236. 踏みにじる ふみにじる To trample; to crush underfoot; to violate or desecrate something.
237. 振り返る ふりかえる To look back; to turn around; to reflect on; to review past events.
238. 振り翳す ふりかざす To brandish; to hold up threateningly; to flaunt something as justification.
239. 触れ合う ふれあう To come into contact; to interact; to touch one another; to connect.
240. 踏ん張る ふんばる To brace oneself; to stand firm; to hold out under pressure; to dig in.
241. ぶっ壊す ぶっこわす To smash; to destroy completely; to break to pieces.
242. 放り出す ほうりだす To throw out; to abandon; to give up on; to cast aside.
243. ほじくる ほじくる To dig up; to poke into; to pry into; to pick at something persistently.
244. ほっつき歩く ほっつきあるく To wander about aimlessly; to roam; to loiter without purpose.
245. 骨を折る ほねをおる To take great pains; to go to considerable trouble; to make strenuous efforts on someone's behalf.
246. 掘り起こす ほりおこす To dig up; to unearth; to bring to light; to discover hidden talent or information.
247. 奔走する ほんそうする To run about; to bustle around; to exert oneself energetically for a cause.
248. 翻弄する ほんろうする To toy with; to manipulate; to toss about at will; to control arbitrarily.
249. 舞い込む まいこむ To fly in unexpectedly; to come out of nowhere; to arrive as a pleasant surprise.
250. 兼ねる かねる To serve dual functions; to double as something else; in negative constructions, to be unable to do something out of hesitation or propri...
251. 噛み合う かみあう To mesh together; for gears or parts to engage properly; for two parties, arguments, or efforts to be in sync or alignment.
252. 噛み合わせる かみあわせる To cause parts to mesh or fit together; to align precisely; to coordinate two systems or schedules so they work in tandem.
253. 噛み砕く かみくだく To chew thoroughly, breaking food into pieces; figuratively, to explain something complex in simple, digestible terms.
254. 噛み締める かみしめる To bite down hard; to chew thoroughly; figuratively, to savour deeply or reflect carefully on an experience, memory, or emotion.
255. 噛みつく かみつく To bite; to sink one's teeth into something or someone; figuratively, to snap at someone verbally, or to challenge aggressively.
256. 絡み合う からみあう To be intertwined; to be tangled together; for multiple factors, interests, or relationships to be intricately interconnected.
257. 駆り立てる かりたてる To drive someone on; to urge; to spur into action; to be propelled by a powerful impulse such as desire, fear, or duty.
258. 鑑みる かんがみる To consider carefully in light of a reference point, past example, or present circumstances; to reflect on and draw lessons from.
259. 瓦解する がかいする To collapse; to crumble; to fall apart completely — typically of an organisation, system, alliance, or plan.
260. がなる がなる To yell; to shout in a harsh, grating voice; to bellow; to bark at someone.
261. 刻む きざむ To carve; to engrave; to mince (food); to mark or beat (time); to imprint deeply in the mind or heart.
262. 築き上げる きずきあげる To build up over time; to construct and accumulate through sustained effort; to establish something substantial from nothing.
263. 競う きそう To compete; to vie with others; to strive against rivals for superiority, a prize, or recognition.
264. 鍛える きたえる To forge or temper metal; to train and strengthen the body; to discipline and harden the mind through rigorous practice.
265. 気遣う きづかう To worry about someone; to be solicitous of another's wellbeing; to take care to attend to another's feelings or needs out of consideration.
266. 糾弾する きゅうだんする To denounce; to condemn publicly; to call someone to account for wrongdoing; to censure with strong moral force.
267. 切り替える きりかえる To switch over; to convert from one mode to another; to change over; to mentally shift gears.
268. 切り崩す きりくずす To break down bit by bit; to wear away; to undermine; to gradually chip away at an opposing majority, resistance, or position.
269. 切り捨てる きりすてる To cut down (as a swordsman); to discard; to abandon without regret; to truncate in mathematics; to dismiss a person, idea, or option ent...
270. 切り詰める きりつめる To cut down drastically; to economise; to reduce expenditure; to shorten or compress a document, schedule, or period.
271. 切り開く きりひらく To clear land by cutting through vegetation; to pioneer a new path or field; to open up new possibilities where none existed.
272. 極める きわめる To reach the utmost point of; to master to the highest degree; to investigate thoroughly; to push something to its absolute limit.
273. 食い込む くいこむ To bite into; to cut into; to dig into; to make inroads; to eat into a budget, market share, or personal time.
274. 食い止める くいとめる To check; to curb; to hold back; to halt the advance or spread of something; to prevent a negative phenomenon from progressing further.
275. まかり通る まかりとおる To pass unchallenged; to be accepted without question; to be allowed to continue despite being questionable or wrong.
276. まかり間違えば まかりまちがえば If things go wrong; in the worst case; should a mistake occur. Used to foreground a grave risk or potential disaster.
277. 巻き返す まきかえす To make a comeback; to rally; to reverse a disadvantage and regain lost ground.
278. 巻き込む まきこむ To involve; to drag in; to entangle; to draw someone or something into a situation, often against their will.
279. 紛れ込む まぎれこむ To slip in unnoticed; to sneak into; to become mixed in with a crowd or group without being detected.
280. 紛れる まぎれる To be diverted; to be distracted; to get mixed up in; to lose oneself in something and temporarily forget concerns.
281. 纏う まとう To wear; to be clad in; to be wrapped or enveloped in. Used for garments, atmosphere, or an aura surrounding a person or place.
282. 纏め上げる まとめあげる To bring together and complete; to compile into a finished whole; to finalise by consolidating disparate elements.
283. 見合わせる みあわせる To postpone; to suspend; to refrain from proceeding. Also: to exchange glances with another person.
284. 見い出す みいだす To find; to discover; to detect; to identify something that was not immediately apparent.
285. 見落とす みおとす To overlook; to miss; to fail to notice something that was there to be seen.
286. 身構える みがまえる To brace oneself; to assume a defensive or ready stance; to be on guard against what is coming.
287. 見切りをつける みきりをつける To give up on; to write off as hopeless; to abandon something after deciding it has no future.
288. 見定める みさだめる To ascertain; to make sure of; to determine something carefully through sustained observation or judgement.
289. 惨めになる みじめになる To become miserable; to feel wretched; to sink into a pitiable state emotionally or circumstantially.
290. 乱す みだす To disturb; to disrupt; to throw into disorder; to upset an established order or balance.
291. 見繕う みつくろう To select; to choose; to pick out with care on behalf of someone, often exercising personal judgement.
292. 見惚れる みとれる To be captivated; to be fascinated; to stare in admiration and lose oneself in gazing at something beautiful.
293. 漲る みなぎる To overflow; to brim with; to be full to the point of overflowing. Used for water, energy, confidence, or emotion.
294. 醜い みにくい Ugly; unsightly; disgraceful; shameful. Used for physical ugliness or morally reprehensible conduct.
295. 身に沁みる みにしみる To feel keenly; to experience deeply; to sink in emotionally or physically — often painfully or poignantly.
296. 身に付ける みにつける To learn thoroughly; to acquire a skill or knowledge; to master; also, to wear or carry something on one's person.
297. 見紛う みまがう To mistake for; to be indistinguishable from; to confuse one thing with another due to close resemblance.
298. 見守る みまもる To watch over; to keep a careful eye on; to observe with care and concern, often without intervening.
299. 剥き出す むきだす To bare; to expose; to lay bare; to reveal something that was covered or concealed.
300. 悔いる くいる To repent; to regret; to rue. Expresses deep remorse over a past action or decision, with a sense of lasting guilt.
301. くぐり抜ける くぐりぬける To get through; to pass through a tight spot; to survive; to slip through. Implies emerging on the other side of something constricting.
302. くぐる くぐる To pass through; to go under; to duck through; to dive under. Describes movement through a low, narrow, or enclosing space.
303. 燻る くすぶる To smoulder; to linger without outlet; to be stuck in a rut; to languish without recognition. Describes suppressed energy or frustration.
304. 崩れる くずれる To collapse; to crumble; to break down; to deteriorate. Describes physical or abstract structures losing their integrity.
305. 覆る くつがえる To be overturned; to be reversed; to be disproved; to capsize. Describes a sudden, decisive reversal of an established position or verdict.
306. 配る くばる To distribute; to hand out; to deal (cards); to pay attention. A versatile verb for spreading something among multiple recipients, includ...
307. 工面する くめんする To contrive; to manage to arrange; to scrape together funds or resources; to make do through ingenuity.
308. 繰り出す くりだす To march out en masse; to sally forth; to send out; to unleash a succession of moves or actions.
309. 繰り広げる くりひろげる To unfold; to spread out; to develop; to carry on. Describes a dynamic spectacle or contest playing out before an audience.
310. 削る けずる To shave; to scrape; to pare down; to cut; to reduce. Refers to removing material or cutting something down in quantity or size.
311. 蹴散らす けちらす To kick and scatter; to rout decisively; to crush all opposition; to scatter enemies in all directions.
312. 牽制する けんせいする To check; to restrain; to hold back; to deter; to keep in check. Exerting pressure to prevent another party from acting freely.
313. 講じる こうじる To take measures; to implement countermeasures; to lecture on; to expound. A formal verb for deliberate, considered action or explanation.
314. 漕ぎ出す こぎだす To set sail; to row out from shore; to launch; to embark on a new venture. Carries a sense of courageous departure into the unknown.
315. 拵える こしらえる To make; to create; to prepare; to put together; to fabricate. Implies hands-on crafting or preparation with care.
316. 腰を据える こしをすえる To settle down; to commit seriously to something; to dig in; to plant oneself and engage with patience. Expresses sustained, wholehearted...
317. 拗れる こじれる To become complicated; to get entangled; to worsen; to go badly awry. Describes a situation or relationship deteriorating into a more int...
318. 糊塗する ことする To gloss over; to cover up; to whitewash; to paper over defects or wrongdoing with superficial fixes.
319. 捏ねる こねる To knead; to mix thoroughly; to quibble; to complain unreasonably; to be obstinate in one's arguments.
320. 拒む こばむ To refuse; to reject; to decline; to resist; to rebuff. Expresses active, principled opposition or denial.
321. 堪える こらえる To bear; to endure; to put up with; to hold back; to restrain oneself. Expresses patient, active endurance of pain or emotion.
322. 凝らす こらす To concentrate; to focus intently; to elaborate; to apply with great care and ingenuity.
323. 凝り固まる こりかたまる To be rigidly set in one's ways; to become inflexibly fixed in beliefs; to stiffen physically through tension.
324. 転がり込む ころがりこむ To roll in; to turn up unexpectedly; to crash at someone's place; to fall into one's lap. Describes uninvited arrival or a windfall.
325. むさぼる むさぼる To devour; to covet; to consume greedily. Describes giving in to excessive appetite or desire with little restraint.
326. 蒸し返す むしかえす To reheat by steaming; to bring up again; to revive a settled issue or old argument unnecessarily.
327. 蒸す むす To steam (food); to be muggy or humid. Refers both to the cooking method and to oppressive, hot, humid weather.
328. 結び付ける むすびつける To tie together; to connect; to link; to associate two things. Used both literally and figuratively.
329. 目配りする めくばりする To keep a watchful eye; to be attentive to multiple things at once; to look after broadly and carefully.
330. 巡り合う めぐりあう To meet by chance; to happen upon; to encounter someone or something through fate or coincidence.
331. 巡る めぐる To go around; to travel in a circuit; to revolve; to concern or relate to (a topic or issue).
332. 目を凝らす めをこらす To strain one's eyes; to stare intently; to peer closely at something difficult to see.
333. 燃え上がる もえあがる To burst into flames; to flare up; to blaze; to surge with passion or excitement.
334. もぎ取る もぎとる To pick or pluck (fruit from a stem); to wrench or snatch away; to seize forcibly.
335. 目論む もくろむ To plan; to scheme; to plot; to intend secretly. Often implies a cunning or calculated purpose.
336. もたつく もたつく To fumble; to be slow and clumsy; to dawdle; to move or work sluggishly without making progress.
337. もたらす もたらす To bring about; to cause; to result in; to produce (an outcome or change).
338. 持ち出す もちだす To take out; to carry out; to bring up (a topic); to introduce (a sensitive or unexpected subject) into a conversation.
339. 弄ぶ もてあそぶ To play with; to toy with; to trifle with; to treat someone or something without due seriousness or respect.
340. もて余す もてあます To be at a loss about how to handle; to be unable to deal with; to have more of something than one can manage.
341. 物怖じする ものおじする To be timid; to be easily intimidated; to shrink back from challenges out of shyness or fear.
342. 物申す ものもうす To speak up; to raise an objection; to have something important to say; to protest formally.
343. 揉み消す もみけす To hush up; to suppress; to cover up; to extinguish by rubbing (as a cigarette).
344. 揉む もむ To massage; to knead; to rub; to wrangle over (a proposal or argument); to forge through experience.
345. 揉め合う もめあう To quarrel; to dispute; to be in ongoing conflict; to wrangle with each other.
346. 催す もよおす To hold or sponsor (an event); to feel the onset of (an urge or emotion); to promote or stimulate.
347. 漏らす もらす To let leak; to divulge (a secret); to disclose (information); to omit accidentally.
348. 盛り上がる もりあがる To swell up; to rise; to become lively or exciting; to build up in atmosphere or emotion.
349. 盛り込む もりこむ To include; to incorporate; to pack in; to work (elements or ideas) into something.
350. 碁石を打つ ごいしをうつ To place a stone on the board in the game of Go; to make a deliberate move in a game of Go.
351. 先んじる さきんじる To precede; to forestall; to get ahead of someone or something deliberately.
352. 差し掛かる さしかかる To approach; to come near to a place or critical stage; to be on the verge of something.
353. 差し迫る さしせまる To be imminent; to be pressing; to be urgently approaching.
354. 差し出す さしだす To present; to offer; to hold out; to submit or tender something to another.
355. 差し挟む さしはさむ To insert; to interpose; to interject something between others or into a conversation.
356. 差し控える さしひかえる To refrain from; to withhold; to hold back out of propriety or caution.
357. 誘い出す さそいだす To lure out; to entice someone out of a place; to draw someone out through invitation or deception.
358. 仕掛ける しかける To set up; to initiate; to start; to lay a trap or challenge; to devise a scheme.
359. しがみつく しがみつく To cling to; to hold on tightly; to hang on desperately to a person or thing.
360. 鎮める しずめる To calm; to pacify; to suppress; to quell unrest, pain, or strong emotion.
361. 仕損じる しそんじる To fail; to bungle; to make a mistake in performing a task; to botch.
362. 従える したがえる To have under one's command; to be accompanied by; to bring along as a retinue or followers.
363. 仕立てる したてる To tailor; to make or finish clothing; to prepare; to train someone for a role.
364. 叱咤する しったする To scold loudly; to reprimand with force; to urge or exhort strongly.
365. 仕遂げる しとげる To accomplish; to complete; to see through to the end; to carry out successfully despite hardship.
366. 忍ばせる しのばせる To conceal; to hide; to slip something somewhere secretly; to embed discreetly.
367. 渋る しぶる To hesitate; to be reluctant; to be unwilling; to grudgingly hold back.
368. 絞り込む しぼりこむ To narrow down; to refine a selection; to focus in on a specific set of options.
369. 絞り出す しぼりだす To squeeze out; to wring out; to eke out something with great effort.
370. 絞る しぼる To wring; to squeeze; to twist to extract liquid; to narrow down; to focus.
371. 仕舞う しまう To put away; to store; to conclude; to finish; also used as an auxiliary to express completion, often with regret.
372. 染み付く しみつく To become ingrained; to be deeply stained or embedded; to be deeply rooted in character or habit.
373. 仕向ける しむける To direct; to urge toward; to induce; to manoeuvre someone into doing something.
374. 締め括る しめくくる To conclude; to wrap up; to bring to a definitive close; to bind together and finalise.
375. 漏れる もれる To leak; to escape; to be omitted; to be disclosed. Used of fluids, information, light, or names that slip through unintentionally.
376. やり込める やりこめる To corner; to silence; to defeat decisively in argument. Used when one party overwhelms another with logic or evidence, leaving no room f...
377. やり過ごす やりすごす To let pass; to ride out; to get through a difficult situation by waiting it out. Implies enduring or deflecting something without direct...
378. やり遂げる やりとげる To accomplish; to complete; to carry a task through to the end despite difficulty. Emphasises perseverance and the full completion of wha...
379. 揺さぶりをかける ゆさぶりをかける To shake up; to rock; to apply psychological or physical pressure in order to unsettle someone. Used both literally and figuratively.
380. 揺り動かす ゆりうごかす To shake; to swing; to move back and forth. Used both for physical rocking motion and for emotionally stirring or moving someone.
381. 揺るがす ゆるがす To shake; to undermine; to rock the foundations of something. Typically used for abstract structures such as authority, trust, or society.
382. 揺るぐ ゆるぐ To shake; to waver; to be shaken. Describes the state of something being destabilised, physically or psychologically.
383. よぎる よぎる To cross one's mind; to flash through; to pass briefly across. Describes a thought, feeling, or shadow that moves quickly through conscio...
384. 横たわる よこたわる To lie down; to extend; to stretch out. Used for a person lying horizontally, a geographical feature spanning a distance, or an abstract ...
385. 装う よそおう To pretend; to feign; to disguise; to dress up as. Covers both external appearance (dressing to look a certain way) and internal performa...
386. 蘇る よみがえる To revive; to be resurrected; to come back to life. Used for living things returning from death or unconsciousness, and for things once l...
387. 読み解く よみとく To decipher; to interpret; to read and understand deeply. Used when comprehending something that requires careful analysis rather than si...
388. 寄り添う よりそう To snuggle up to; to nestle close; to stand by someone in support. Conveys both physical closeness and emotional solidarity.
389. 落胆する らくたんする To be disappointed; to be discouraged; to lose heart. Used when expectations are not met and the emotional result is deflation or despair.
390. 乱立する らんりつする To stand in disarray; to proliferate chaotically; to spring up in large numbers without order or coordination.
391. 理解に苦しむ りかいにくるしむ To find it hard to understand; to be puzzled by; to struggle to comprehend. Expresses genuine bewilderment at something that seems inexpl...
392. 力む りきむ To strain; to exert oneself forcefully; to put on airs. Covers both physical over-exertion and the social behaviour of acting more impres...
393. 弄する ろうする To play with; to manipulate; to use cunning tactics. Describes deliberately wielding something — words, tricks, or schemes — with calcula...
394. 沸き立つ わきたつ To boil up; to seethe; to be stirred with excitement or strong emotion. Describes both physical boiling and the surging of intense feelin...
395. 煩う わずらう To worry about; to be troubled by; to suffer from. Describes a state of persistent mental anguish or physical ailment that weighs on a pe...
396. 渡り合う わたりあう To cross swords with; to compete with on equal terms; to deal with a formidable opponent without backing down.
397. 割り当てる わりあてる To assign; to allocate; to apportion. Used when distributing tasks, resources, roles, or time slots among people or purposes.
398. 割り切る わりきる To be decisive; to come to terms with; to accept a situation pragmatically and move on without lingering sentiment.
399. 割り込む わりこむ To cut in; to break in; to interrupt; to intrude. Describes forcing oneself into a line, conversation, or situation without permission.