綴る

• Reading: つづる
• Romaji: tsuzuru
• Kanji breakdown: 綴 (tei/tsudzu) — to compose, to spell, to bind; from 糸 (thread) + phonetic component
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.dʑɯ.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To spell out; to write; to compose; to put words or pages together with care.

A Group 1 (godan) verb with multiple related senses. 綴る can describe spelling a word letter by letter, composing written work, or physically binding pages together. In literary contexts it often describes the deliberate act of weaving one's thoughts into prose — drawing words out one by one with care.

Examples

1. 彼女は亡き母への思いを手紙に綴った。 She composed a letter expressing her feelings for her late mother.
2. 単語のスペルを一文字ずつ綴るよう指示された。 I was instructed to spell out the word one letter at a time.
3. 長年の記憶を一冊の日記に綴り続けた。 She continued writing years of memories in a single diary.

Usage Guide

Context: writing, literature, education

Tone: literary

Origin & History

From 綴 (Chinese: 綴 zhuì), meaning to stitch together or to compose. The kanji contains 糸 (thread), evoking the act of stitching words or pages into a coherent whole.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical-Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated