収める

• Reading: おさめる
• Romaji: osameru
• Kanji breakdown: 収 (osa/shuu) — collect, store, obtain
• Pronunciation: /o.sa.me.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To store; to put away; to pay; to supply. Placing something in its proper location or delivering what is owed.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb conjugated by dropping る. Has several distinct meanings depending on context: storing items (引き出しに収める), paying taxes (税金を収める), achieving results (成果を収める), and calming a situation (怒りを収める). Also written as 納める for payment and delivery contexts.

Examples

1. 道具を元の場所に収めた。 I put the tools back in their original place.
2. 大会で見事な成果を収めた。 They achieved impressive results at the competition.
3. 毎年しっかり税金を収めている。 I pay my taxes properly every year.

Usage Guide

Context: organization, achievement, taxes

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 収 combines a hand grasping (又) and a binding element, suggesting gathering and putting away. Originally related to harvesting crops and storing them — collecting what is due.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal