汲くみ分わける

く

み

わ

け

る

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

apportion drawn water; ladle into separate containers

Physical action of drawing water or liquid and dividing it into portions or containers. Often used in contexts like serving tea or distributing water.

お茶ちゃを急きゅう須すから湯ゆ呑のみに汲くみ分わける。
I pour tea from the teapot into individual cups.
川かわの水みずをバケツに汲くみ分わけて

運はこ

ん

だ

。

We drew water from the river into buckets and carried them.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

show understanding; appreciate nuances

Figurative extension: to discern and respond to subtle feelings, intentions, or situations, as if drawing out and distributing understanding. Often used in contexts of empathy or reading between the lines.

彼かれは相あい手ての気き持もちをうまく汲くみ分わけて対たい応おうした。
He skillfully understood the other person's feelings and responded accordingly.
状じょう況きょうを汲くみ分わけて適てき切せつな判はん断だんを下くだす。
I grasp the situation fully and make an appropriate decision.

Written forms

汲くみ分わける
Standard kanji spelling for the physical sense of drawing and dividing liquid.
酌くみ分わける
Alternate kanji spelling emphasizing the figurative sense of 'drawing out' understanding, though 汲み分ける is also used for both senses.

Kanji

汲draw (water), ladle, scoop
分part, minute of time, segment
酌bar-tending, serving sake, the host

Similar words

汲くむ
汲む means simply to draw or scoop water; 汲み分ける adds the nuance of dividing or apportioning what is drawn.
酌くむ
酌む often refers to pouring sake or considering someone's feelings; 酌み分ける extends this to actively discerning and responding to subtle cues.

Etymology

Compound of 汲み (continuative form of 汲む 'to draw water') + 分ける 'to divide'. The figurative sense likely developed from the idea of drawing out and distributing understanding.