突つき詰つめる

つ

き

つ

め

る

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

investigate thoroughly; get to the bottom of; probe deeply

Used when pursuing a question, problem, or truth to its ultimate conclusion, often through persistent questioning or analysis.

彼かれは問もん題だいの原げん因いんを突つき詰つめて考かんがえた。
He thought deeply to get to the bottom of the problem.

その記き者しゃは事じ件けんの真しん相そうを突つき詰つめようとしている。

The reporter is trying to probe into the truth of the incident.

2

ichidan verb, transitive verb

obsess over; brood on; worry excessively about

Describes a state of being fixated on a single thought or worry, often to an unhealthy degree. Commonly used with 考え (thought) or 悩み (worry).

彼かれは一ひとつの失しっ敗ぱいをいつまでも突つき詰つめて悩なやんでいる。
He keeps brooding over one mistake endlessly.
あまり考かんがえを突つき詰つめると、体からだに良よくないよ。
If you obsess over your thoughts too much, it's not good for your health.

Written forms

突つき詰つめるUsage58%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
つきつめるUsage25%
突つきつめるUsage17%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still used.
突つ詰きつめる
Abbreviated kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.

Kanji

突stab, protruding, thrust
詰packed, close, pressed

Similar words

追つい究きゅう
追究 is a noun/suru-verb meaning 'pursuit/investigation', often used in academic or formal contexts. 突き詰める is a more concrete verb implying a thorough, exhaustive probing to the very end.
掘ほり下さげる
掘り下げる means 'to dig deeper' into a topic, similar to 突き詰める, but 突き詰める emphasizes reaching a final, often extreme conclusion, while 掘り下げる focuses on the process of deepening understanding.

Etymology

Compound of 突く (tsuku, 'to thrust/poke') + 詰める (tsumeru, 'to pack/stuff/pursue to the end'). The combination conveys the idea of thrusting forward until reaching the very end, hence 'to probe to the bottom' or 'to obsess over'.