凝こる

こ

る

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

凝る · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	凝こる	凝こらない
Polite	凝こります	凝こりません
Past polite	凝こりました	凝こりませんでした
Past	凝こった	凝こらなかった
Te-form	凝こって	凝こらないで
Desire	凝こりたい	凝こりたくない
Potential	凝これる	凝これない
Passive	凝こられる	凝こられない
Causative	凝こらせる	凝こらせない
Causative passive	凝こらせられるalso 凝こらされる	凝こらせられないalso 凝こらされない
Volitional	凝ころう
Polite volitional	凝こりましょう
Imperative	凝これ	凝こるな
Conditional	凝これば	凝こらなければ
Tara conditional	凝こったら	凝こらなかったら

Pairs with凝らす

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

become stiff; get tense

Used for muscles or body parts becoming stiff from tension, fatigue, or cold. Often appears as 肩が凝る (stiff shoulders).

パソコン作さ業ぎょうで肩かたが凝こった。
My shoulders got stiff from computer work.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

get absorbed in; be obsessed with; get hooked on

Expresses deep engagement in a hobby, craft, or interest, often to the point of obsession. Commonly used with に (趣味に凝る).

最さい近きん、彼かれは料りょう理りに凝こっている。
Lately, he's been really into cooking.
凝こりすぎて寝ねる時じ間かんを忘わすれてしまった。
I got so absorbed that I forgot to sleep.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

be elaborate; be intricate; be particular about

Describes something made with great care and attention to detail, or a person who is very particular about quality. Often used in past tense (凝った料理, 凝ったデザイン).

この店みせの料りょう理りはとても凝こっている。
The food at this restaurant is very elaborate.
彼かれは服ふくの素そ材ざいに凝こる。
He is particular about clothing materials.

See all 65 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈体からだの部ぶ分ぶん〉が凝こるfor a body part to become stiff or tense
パソコンを長ちょう時じ間かん使つかうと肩かたや目めが凝こる。
If you use a computer for a long time, your shoulders and eyes get stiff.
〈事こと〉に凝こるto become absorbed in or hooked on an activity or hobby
最さい近きん、写しゃ真しん撮さつ影えいに凝こっている。
Lately I've gotten really into photography.
凝こった〈物もの〉an elaborate or intricately made thing
彼かの女じょは凝こった料りょう理りをよく作つくる。
She often makes elaborate dishes.

Expressions

肩かたが凝こるhave stiff shoulders · feel tense; feel ill at ease · serious; sober
碁ごに凝こると親おやの死しに目めに逢あわぬif you get too absorbed in go, you'll miss your parent's deathbed

Kanji

凝congeal, freeze, stiff

Transitive / intransitive

凝こらすN1sense 2
凝らす is the transitive partner of 凝る, meaning to concentrate or devote effort into something (e.g. 工夫を凝らす), while 凝る is intransitive, describing the state of being absorbed or elaborate.

Related words

熱ねっ中ちゅうN3sense 2
熱中する is a general term for being enthusiastic about something, while 凝る implies a deeper, often obsessive personal involvement with a creative or detailed aspect.
こだわるN2sense 3
拘る focuses on being picky or sticking to a particular standard, often with a nuance of stubbornness, while 凝る emphasizes elaborate craftsmanship or careful attention to detail.

Opposites

緩ゆるむN1sense 1
緩む describes muscles relaxing or loosening, the opposite of 凝る, which describes them becoming stiff and tense.

Don't confuse with

懲こりるN1
懲りる means to learn a lesson and be discouraged from repeating something, while 凝る means to become absorbed in or elaborate about something; the words look and sound similar but are unrelated in meaning.
こごるN1
凝る written こる means to become engrossed in something or for muscles to grow stiff, a completely different word from こごる (to congeal) despite sharing the same kanji.
凝こごらすN1
凝る (こる) means 'to be absorbed in/enthusiastic about' something and is intransitive, whereas 凝らす is transitive and means 'to concentrate or devote (effort, attention) on something'.

Word family

凝こり性しょう
tendency to get deeply absorbed; perfectionism; fastidiousness · susceptibility to stiff shoulders
凝こり屋や
perfectionist; enthusiast; zealot
凝こり形がたち
over-concentrated shape; inefficient cluster of stones
凝こり出だす
get really into; become absorbed in
凝こり固かたまる
coagulate; harden; stiffen · be obsessed; be fanatical; be fixated

Written forms

凝こるUsage71%
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
こるUsage29%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing, especially for the 'get absorbed in' sense.

Etymology

The kanji 凝 originally means 'to congeal' or 'to freeze', which extended metaphorically to muscles becoming stiff and later to the mind becoming fixed on something. The reading こる is native Japanese.