取り繕う

• Reading: とりつくろう
• Romaji: toritsukurou
• Kanji breakdown: 取 (tori/shu) — take; 繕 (tsukuro/zen) — mend, repair, patch
• Pronunciation: /to.ɾi.tsɯ.kɯ.ɾo.ɯ/

Meaning

To keep up appearances; to make a superficial repair; to gloss over or patch up a situation.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb from 取り (tori) + 繕う (tsukurou — to mend, to repair). While 繕う alone means to mend clothing or objects, 取り繕う almost always carries the figurative sense of concealing a problem beneath a presentable surface — putting on a good face, making excuses, or patching over a relationship without addressing the underlying issue. It implies insincerity or cosmetic rather than genuine repair.

Examples

1. 失言に気づいた政治家は、笑顔でその場を取り繕おうとしたが、記者たちは見逃さなかった。 The politician who noticed his gaffe tried to gloss over the moment with a smile, but the reporters did not miss it.
2. 二人の関係はすでに壊れていたが、彼女は表向きを取り繕って日々を過ごしていた。 Their relationship was already broken, but she kept up appearances on the surface and went through her days.
3. どれだけ言い訳で取り繕っても、事実は変わらない。 No matter how much you try to patch it over with excuses, the facts do not change.

Usage Guide

Context: interpersonal relations, politics, social behaviour

Tone: critical

Origin & History

取り (general intensifying prefix) + 繕う (tsukurou — to mend, patch, from 繕 meaning repair, mend). The shift from physical mending to social pretence follows a common Japanese metaphorical pattern.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal