組む

• Reading: くむ
• Romaji: kumu
• Kanji breakdown: 組 (ku/so) — assemble, group, team
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.mɯ/

Meaning

To put together; to assemble; to cross (arms/legs); to team up.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the む row. Highly versatile: 腕を組む (to fold one's arms), 足を組む (to cross one's legs), チームを組む (to form a team), 予算を組む (to draw up a budget), ローンを組む (to take out a loan). The core meaning is interlocking or bringing parts together into a unified whole.

Examples

1. 彼女は腕を組んで考え込んでいた。 She sat deep in thought with her arms folded.
2. 友達とペアを組んでプロジェクトに取り組んだ。 I teamed up with a friend and worked on the project.
3. 来年の予算を組む会議が明日ある。 There's a meeting tomorrow to put together next year's budget.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, teamwork, business

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 組 combines 糸 (thread) and 且 (moreover/pile up), evoking the image of threads woven together — intertwining parts into a structure.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal