埋める

• Reading: うずめる
• Romaji: uzumeru
• Kanji breakdown: 埋 (u/mai) — bury, fill
• Pronunciation: /ɯ.zɯ.me.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To bury; to fill up. To place something underground or to fill a gap or empty space.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb with the reading うずめる, conjugated by dropping る. Used for physically burying objects in earth, filling seats in a venue, or figuratively closing a gap (差を埋める). Related to 埋まる (uzumaru, to be buried — intransitive). Also read as うめる with similar meanings.

Examples

1. 庭にタイムカプセルを埋めた。 I buried a time capsule in the yard.
2. コンサートの席は全て埋められた。 All the seats at the concert were filled.
3. 二つのチームの差を埋めるのは難しい。 It's hard to close the gap between the two teams.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, events, figurative

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 埋 combines 土 (tsuchi, earth) and 里 (ri, village/inside), suggesting something placed deep within the ground. An ancient concept tied to burial and agricultural practices.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal