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かりそめにする Japanese meaning | Kotomora

かりそめにする

Meanings

1

expression, suru verb (irregular)

make light of; treat lightly; slight; neglect

usually written using kana alone

Used when someone does not take a person, matter, or responsibility seriously, often implying careless disregard or lack of proper attention.

彼かれは約やく束そくをかりそめにした。
He made light of his promise.

そんな大だい事じなことをかりそめにしてはいけない。

You must not treat such an important matter lightly.

Kanji

仮sham, temporary, interim
初first time, beginning

Similar words

軽かろんじる
軽んじる is a more formal, literary verb meaning 'to despise' or 'to look down on'. かりそめにする is a set phrase that focuses on careless or negligent treatment rather than active contempt.
おろそかにする
おろそかにする also means 'to neglect', but it is more common and neutral. かりそめにする carries a nuance of treating something as trivial or unimportant, often with a sense of disregard.

Etymology

The phrase かりそめにする derives from かりそめ (temporary, trivial) combined with する. The exact origin of かりそめ is uncertain, but it is thought to be a native Japanese word. The kanji 仮初め are ateji (当て字) and do not reflect the etymology.