積もる

• Reading: つもる
• Romaji: tsumoru
• Kanji breakdown: 積 (seki/tsu) — pile up, accumulate, stack
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.mo.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To pile up; to accumulate; to stack up (of snow, dust, feelings).

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb conjugated with the る row (積もらない, 積もります). Primarily used for natural accumulation: 雪が積もる (snow piles up), ほこりが積もる (dust accumulates). Also used figuratively for emotions or grievances building up over time: 不満が積もる (dissatisfaction builds up). The expression 積もる話 means 'much to talk about (after a long absence).'

Examples

1. 一晩で雪が二十センチも積もった。 Twenty centimeters of snow piled up overnight.
2. 棚の上にほこりが積もっている。 Dust has accumulated on top of the shelf.
3. 久しぶりに会った友達と積もる話をした。 I caught up with an old friend and we had so much to talk about.

Usage Guide

Context: weather, daily life, figurative expressions

Tone: descriptive

Origin & History

Intransitive counterpart of 積む (to pile/stack). The kanji 積 combines 禾 (grain) and 責 (responsibility/accumulate), originally depicting grain being stacked in a storehouse.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal