繕う · godan verb (-u)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 繕う | 繕わない |
| Polite | 繕います | 繕いません |
| Past polite | 繕いました | 繕いませんでした |
| Past | 繕った | 繕わなかった |
| Te-form | 繕って | 繕わないで |
| Desire | 繕いたい | 繕いたくない |
| Potential | 繕える | 繕えない |
| Passive | 繕われる | 繕われない |
| Causative | 繕わせる | 繕わせない |
| Causative passive | 繕わせられるalso 繕わされる | 繕わせられないalso 繕わされない |
| Volitional | 繕おう | |
| Polite volitional | 繕いましょう | |
| Imperative | 繕え | 繕うな |
| Conditional | 繕えば | 繕わなければ |
| Tara conditional | 繕ったら | 繕わなかったら |
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
Used for repairing physical items, especially clothing, fabric, or small objects.
My mother mended the torn shirt for me.
靴下の穴を繕う。
I darn the hole in the sock.
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
Used for fixing one's appearance: hair, clothes, makeup, or general grooming.
鏡の前で髪を繕う。
I fix my hair in front of the mirror.
彼女は服の乱れを繕ってから部屋に入った。
She adjusted her disheveled clothes before entering the room.
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
keep up appearances; cover up; gloss over
Used for smoothing over a mistake, hiding a flaw, or maintaining a facade in social situations.
彼は笑って失敗を繕った。
He laughed it off and covered up his mistake.
その場を繕うために、とっさに嘘をついた。
I told a quick lie to gloss over the situation.
godan verb (-u), transitive verb
Archaic use for treating a medical condition; modern Japanese uses 治療する or 手当てする.
古い文献では、傷を繕うという表現が見られる。
In old texts, the expression 傷を繕う can be found, meaning to treat a wound.
My mother mended my old sweater for me.
I straightened up my appearance before the interview.
He laughed to smooth over the awkward moment.
The company delayed the announcement to keep up appearances.
繕う is the general word for mending or fixing up clothing, while 継ぐ specifically means to patch by joining a piece of fabric.
preening
choose at one's discretion; pick out