押さえる

• Reading: おさえる
• Romaji: osaeru
• Kanji breakdown: 押 (o/atsu) — push, press
• Pronunciation: /o.sa.e.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To hold down; to restrain; to press. Applying pressure to keep something in place or under control.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb conjugated by dropping る. Has multiple nuanced meanings: physically pressing down (ボタンを押さえる), restraining someone (犯人を押さえる), securing/reserving (席を押さえる), and keeping in check (感情を押さえる). Also written as 抑える when emphasizing suppression rather than physical pressing.

Examples

1. 風で飛びそうな帽子を手で押さえた。 I held down my hat with my hand before the wind blew it away.
2. 大事なポイントを押さえておきましょう。 Let's make sure to cover the key points.
3. 怒りを押さえるのが大変だった。 It was hard to hold back my anger.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, study, self-control

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound verb from 押す (osu, to push/press) and える, forming a sustained action. The kanji 押 depicts a hand (手) pressing down on a shell or nail (甲), keeping it firmly in place.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal