たわめる

た

わ

め

る

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

bend; bow

usually written using kana alone

Transitive verb meaning to bend something flexible, especially wood or a long object, by applying force. Often used for bending a bow or a thin board.

竹たけをたわめて弓ゆみを作つくる。
Bend bamboo to make a bow.
板いたを

たわめ

て

み

た

が

、

折お

れ

なかっ

た

。

I tried bending the board, but it didn't break.

Written forms

たわめるUsage92%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 撓める and 橈める are rare and may not be recognized by many readers.
撓たわめるUsage8%
Rare kanji form; the character 撓 is not in common use.
橈たわめる
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; 橈 is not standard for this word and may be considered a variant or error.

Kanji

撓bend, train, lithe
橈oar, scull, paddle

Similar words

しなる
しなる is intransitive, meaning 'to bend' or 'to be flexible' on its own, while たわめる is transitive and means 'to bend something'.
曲まげる
曲げる is a more general transitive verb for bending or curving something, while たわめる specifically implies bending something long and flexible, often with a sense of elasticity.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective たわい (flexible, pliant) with the verbalizing suffix める, meaning 'to make flexible'. The kanji 撓 is a semantic choice for bending, but the word is native Japanese.