漬ける

• Reading: つける
• Romaji: tsukeru
• Kanji breakdown: 漬 (shi/tsu) — to soak, to pickle
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To soak (in liquid); to steep; to dip; to dunk. Used for submerging things in liquid.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb. Primarily used for soaking or pickling food in a liquid or seasoning mixture. Central to Japanese food culture through 漬物 (tsukemono, pickled vegetables). Also used more broadly for soaking items like laundry.

Examples

1. 野菜を塩水に漬けてください。 Please soak the vegetables in salt water.
2. 大根を味噌に漬けました。 I pickled the daikon radish in miso.
3. この服を水に漬けておきます。 I'll leave these clothes soaking in water.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, food preservation, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 漬 combines 氵 (water radical) and 責 (to press/pile up), suggesting the idea of pressing food into a liquid for preservation. Pickling has been central to Japanese cuisine for centuries.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal