見繕う

• Reading: みつくろう
• Romaji: mitsukurou
• Kanji breakdown: 見 (ken/mi) — see, look; 繕 (zen/tsukuro) — mend, tidy, select with care
• Pronunciation: /mi.tsɯ.kɯ.ɾo.ɯ/

Meaning

To select; to choose; to pick out with care on behalf of someone, often exercising personal judgement.

A Group 1 (godan) verb combining 見 (to look, to see) and 繕う (to mend, to put in order). The compound implies selecting something with attentive care, often as a service to another person. It is most associated with professionals such as restaurant staff, sommeliers, or shopkeepers who pick items to suit a guest's needs without being given explicit instructions. The nuance is of thoughtful curation rather than mechanical selection.

Examples

1. 客の好みに合わせて料理を見繕ってくれるお任せコースを注文した。 I ordered the chef's choice course, where dishes are selected to match the customer's preferences.
2. 贈り物に何がいいか迷っていたら、店員が適当に見繕ってくれた。 When I couldn't decide what to give as a gift, the shop clerk picked out some suitable items for me.
3. ソムリエが食事の内容に合ったワインを見繕ってテーブルに運んだ。 The sommelier selected a wine to complement the meal and brought it to the table.

Usage Guide

Context: restaurants, retail, gift-giving, hospitality

Tone: polished

Origin & History

Compound of 見 (mi — to look at) and 繕う (tsukurou — to mend, to tidy up, to arrange neatly). The original sense was of looking things over and putting them in order; it evolved to mean selecting items with care to suit someone's needs.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: All classes