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つける Japanese meaning | Kotomora

つける

つ

け

る

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

attach; add; apply

usually written using kana alone

Broad physical use: fasten, stick, glue, sew, connect, append, or apply something to a surface or another object.

封ふう筒とうに切きっ手てをつける。
I attach a stamp to the envelope.

傷きず

口ぐち

に

薬くすり

を

つけ

た

。

I applied medicine to the wound.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

furnish; equip; install

usually written using kana alone

Used when adding fixtures, equipment, or furnishings to a room, house, or other place.

このアパートには最さい初しょからエアコンをつけてある。
This apartment has an air conditioner installed from the start.

3

ichidan verb, transitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 着ける

Used for items put on or attached to the body; 着ける is especially natural for this meaning.

外そとに出でる前まえに腕うで時計どけいを着つける。
I put on my wristwatch before going out.

4

ichidan verb, transitive verb

keep a diary; make an entry; record

usually written using kana alone

Common with 日記, 家計簿, 帳簿, and similar record-keeping nouns.

毎まい晩ばん、寝ねる前まえに日にっ記きをつけている。
I keep a diary every night before going to bed.

5

ichidan verb, transitive verb

set a price; appraise; assign a value

usually written using kana alone

Used with prices, values, scores, ratings, and similar evaluations.

店てん主しゅはその古ふるい花か瓶びんに高たかい値ね段だんをつけた。
The shopkeeper put a high price on the old vase.

6

ichidan verb, transitive verb

allot; budget; assign

usually written using kana alone

Often used for allocating money, staff, duties, or other resources to a purpose.

市しは子こ育そだて支し援えんに十じゅう分ぶんな予よ算さんをつけた。
The city allocated a sufficient budget to childcare support.

7

ichidan verb, transitive verb

bring alongside; dock; pull up to

usually written using kana alone

Used when bringing a boat, vehicle, or similar thing right up to a place or alongside something.

船せん長ちょうは船ふねを桟さん橋ばしにつけた。
The captain brought the boat alongside the pier.

8

ichidan verb, transitive verb

place under guard; put in someone's care; assign someone to watch

usually written using kana alone

Used in patterns such as 人に見張りをつける or 患者に医師をつける, assigning a guard, doctor, or attendant to someone.

警けい察さつは容よう疑ぎ者しゃに見み張はりをつけた。
The police put the suspect under guard.

9

ichidan verb, transitive verb

tail; shadow; follow secretly

usually written using kana alone

Colloquial use for secretly following someone, as by a detective, police officer, or stalker.

刑けい事じは容よう疑ぎ者しゃを一いち日にち中じゅうつけた。
The detective tailed the suspect all day.

10

ichidan verb, transitive verb

load; give energy; give courage

usually written using kana alone

A limited use for putting a load onto something, or figuratively giving strength, momentum, or encouragement; many modern contexts prefer more specific verbs such as 積む or 勇気づける.

馬うまに荷にをつけて山やま道みちを進すすんだ。
They loaded the horse and went along the mountain path.

11

ichidan verb, transitive verb

keep an eye on; watch out for; be careful about

usually written using kana alone

Most familiar in the fixed expression 気をつける, meaning to pay attention, watch out, or be careful.

夜よ道みちでは周まわりに気きをつけてください。
Please keep an eye on your surroundings on dark streets.

12

ichidan verb, transitive verb

establish contact; settle an understanding; arrange

usually written using kana alone

Used in collocations such as 連絡をつける and 話をつける, meaning to establish contact or reach an arrangement or understanding.

明日あしたまでに担たん当とう者しゃと連れん絡らくをつけます。
I will get in touch with the person in charge by tomorrow.
契けい約やくの細こまかい条じょう件けんについて、先せん方ぽうと話はなしをつけた。
We settled the detailed terms of the contract with the other party.

13

ichidan verb, transitive verb

turn on a light; switch on

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 点ける

Used for lights and sometimes flames; 点ける is the specific kanji spelling, though kana つける is very common.

See also: 点ける

暗くらくなったので、部屋へやの明あかりをつけた。
It got dark, so I turned on the room light.

14

ichidan verb, transitive verb

bear flowers; bear fruit; produce

usually written using kana alone

Used with plants as the subject and 花 or 実 as the object: a plant puts forth flowers or bears fruit.

今年ことしは梅うめの木きがたくさん実みをつけた。
This year the plum tree bore a lot of fruit.

15

ichidan verb, transitive verb

play an attachment; attach in Go

usually written using kana alonego (game)

Only with reading ツケる

Go-game jargon for playing a stone directly adjacent to an opponent's stone; this is usually written ツケる.

See also: ツケ

白しろは右みぎ上うえで黒くろ石いしにツケた。
White attached to the black stone in the upper right.

16

suffix, ichidan verb

do intensely; do fiercely; do forcefully

usually written using kana alone

Suffix after a verb's masu-stem, often adding a forceful or harsh nuance, as in 怒鳴りつける or 叱りつける.

See also: 怒鳴りつける

彼かれは店てん員いんを怒ど鳴なりつけた。
He shouted harshly at the clerk.

17

suffix, ichidan verb

be used to doing; be accustomed to

usually written using kana alone

Suffix after a verb's masu-stem; limited in modern use and most familiar in fixed or semi-fixed forms such as 行きつけ.

駅えき前まえの喫きっ茶さ店てんは私わたしの行いきつけだ。
The coffee shop in front of the station is my regular place.

Written forms

つけるUsage78%
The senses are usually written in kana; this spelling is safest across the many meanings.
付つけるUsage20%
Broad common kanji spelling for attaching, adding, recording, assigning, pricing, and many abstract uses.
着つけるUsage2%
Common for putting something on the body, such as a watch or mask.
ツケるUsage<1%
search-only kana form
Katakana form associated especially with the Go-game sense; this kana form is search-only.
附つけるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form given; learners should normally use つける or 付ける.
点つける
Specific spelling for turning on a light or flame; 点ける is listed as a cross-reference for that sense.

Kanji

付adhere, attach, refer to
着don, arrive, wear
附affixed, attach, refer to

Similar words

付つく
Intransitive counterpart: 付く means something becomes attached or added, while つける is transitive and means to attach or add something.
取とり付つける
More specific for installing or fixing equipment in place; つける is broader and can mean attach, add, apply, record, assign, and more.
点つける
Specific spelling for turning on a light or flame; kana つける is common, while 付ける is the broader spelling for many other meanings.
尾び行こうする
More formal and explicit for tailing or shadowing someone; つける in this sense is more colloquial.

Etymology

Native Japanese verb つける, closely related to the intransitive つく. The kanji spellings 付ける, 着ける, and 点ける conventionally distinguish different modern meanings; the detailed historical development is not specified.