掘ほり下さげる

ほ

り

さ

げ

る

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

dig down; dig deeper

Literal physical action of digging downward into the ground or a surface.

庭にわの隅すみを掘ほり下さげて池いけを作つくった。
We dug down in a corner of the garden and made a pond.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

dig into; delve into

; investigate thoroughly

Figurative use: to examine a topic, problem, or issue in depth, going beyond the surface.

記き者しゃは事じ件けんの背はい景けいをさらに掘ほり下さげて取しゅ材ざいした。
The reporter dug deeper into the background of the incident for the story.
この問もん題だいをもっと掘ほり下さげて議ぎ論ろんする必ひつ要ようがある。
We need to delve deeper into this issue and discuss it.

Written forms

掘ほり下さげるUsage93%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
掘ほりさげるUsage5%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still encountered.
掘ほり下さげるUsage2%
Abbreviated kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.

Kanji

掘dig, delve, excavate
下below, down, descend

Similar words

深ふか掘ぼりする
Also means 'to dig deep' or 'to delve into', but is more casual and often used in business or self-help contexts for exploring a topic thoroughly.
追つい究きゅうする
Means 'to pursue' or 'to investigate' a matter, but focuses on the act of chasing after truth or details rather than the metaphorical digging.

Etymology

Compound of 掘り (hori, 'digging', the continuative form of 掘る horu) + 下げる (sageru, 'to lower'). Literally 'to dig and lower', giving the sense of digging downward or deepening an inquiry.