noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
ground leveling; groundwork
Literal: physically leveling or compacting the ground before construction. Also used figuratively for preparing the groundwork for a project.
家を建てる前に、まず地固めをしなければならない。
Before building a house, you must first level the ground.
交渉に
Before entering negotiations, I laid the groundwork by sounding people out in advance.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
laying foundations
Figurative: establishing a solid base or foundation for an organization, plan, or relationship.
新会社の地固めに半年かかった。
It took half a year to lay the foundations for the new company.