凝る

• Reading: こる
• Romaji: koru
• Kanji breakdown: 凝 (gyō/ko) — congeal, concentrate, stiffen
• Pronunciation: /ko.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To become stiff (of muscles); to be absorbed in; to be particular about. Has multiple related senses around concentration and tension.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb with two main uses. Physically, it means muscles becoming tense or stiff (肩が凝る). Figuratively, it means being deeply absorbed in a hobby or being obsessively particular about details (凝った料理 = elaborate cooking). Both senses share the core idea of concentration or solidification.

Examples

1. パソコン作業が続いて肩が凝った。 My shoulders got stiff from sitting at the computer for so long.
2. 彼女は料理に凝っていて、毎日違うレシピを試す。 She's really into cooking and tries a different recipe every day.
3. 凝ったデザインのウェブサイトが完成した。 The website with the elaborate design is finally finished.

Usage Guide

Context: health, hobbies, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the kanji 凝 (to congeal, to concentrate), combining 冫 (ice radical) with 疑 (doubt/solidify). The original meaning of solidifying like ice extended to stiffness and intense focus.

Cultural Context

Era: Early Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal