繋ぐ

• Reading: つなぐ
• Romaji: tsunagu
• Kanji breakdown: 繋 (kei/tsuna) — connect, tie, fasten
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.na.ɡɯ/

Meaning

To tie; to fasten; to connect; to link together.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the ぐ row (繋がない, 繋ぎます). Used for physically tying things (犬を繋ぐ, to leash a dog), connecting devices (パソコンを繋ぐ, to connect a computer), holding hands (手を繋ぐ), and figuratively sustaining something (命を繋ぐ, to sustain life). The intransitive counterpart is 繋がる.

Examples

1. 子供と手を繋いで横断歩道を渡った。 I held my child's hand and crossed the crosswalk.
2. パソコンをプリンターに繋いでください。 Please connect the computer to the printer.
3. 犬を柱に繋いで店に入った。 I tied the dog to a post and went into the store.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, technology, parenting

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 繋 is composed of elements related to 糸 (thread/string), reflecting the core meaning of tying or binding things together.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal