繕
darning, repair, mend, trim, tidy up, adjust
Readings
On'yomi
- ゼン
Kun'yomi
- つくろ.う
Meaning
繕 centers on fixing or improving something by hand, especially with thread or careful adjustment: mending clothes, repairing damage, tidying up, or adjusting details.
Most common words using 繕
- 修繕しゅうぜんN2
repair; mending
- 繕うつくろうN1
to mend; to patch up; to repair; to fix; to darn
- 取り繕うとりつくろう
to keep up (appearances); to put up (a good front)
- 繕いつくろい
mending; repair; darning; patching up
- 営繕えいぜん
maintenance and repair; upkeep (of equipment)
- 修繕中しゅうぜんちゅう
in the process of being repaired; during repairs
- 修繕工しゅうぜんこう
repair man
- 修繕工場しゅうぜんこうじょう
repair shop
- 修繕積立金しゅうぜんつみたてきん
maintenance fee (in an apartment building); maintenance charge; reserve fund for building repairs
- 修繕費しゅうぜんひ
cost of repairs; repair costs
- 垣繕うかきつくろう
springtime repairing of fences after winter damage
- 繕い立てるつくろいたてる
to put up a good front
- 繕草つくろいぐさ
Japanese mugwort (Artemisia princeps)
- 羽繕いはづくろい
preening
- 見繕うみつくろう
to choose (something) at one's discretion; to use one's discretion in choosing
- 言い繕ういいつくろう
to explain away (a mistake, failure, etc.); to make excuses for; to gloss over; to talk one's way out of
- 身繕いみづくろい
dressing oneself; personal grooming
- 金繕いきんつくろい
repairing pottery with a lacquer mixed with gold, silver, etc.
Study
Etymology
繕 combines 糸 (thread) with 善, which likely contributes the sound ゼン and the idea of making good or right. The character suggests using thread to make something good again.
Meaning mnemonic
Thread 糸 and good 善 come together: using thread to make something good again, like darning a sock or mending a tear.
Reading mnemonic
For ゼン, imagine a Zen monk patiently mending a robe with thread: Zen -> ゼン, and the careful repair brings peace.