試こころみる

こ

ろ

み

る

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

試みる · ichidan verb

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	試こころみる	試こころみない
Polite	試こころみます	試こころみません
Past polite	試こころみました	試こころみませんでした
Past	試こころみた	試こころみなかった
Te-form	試こころみて	試こころみないで
Desire	試こころみたい	試こころみたくない
Potential	試こころみられるalso 試こころみれる	試こころみられないalso 試こころみれない
Passive	試こころみられる	試こころみられない
Causative	試こころみさせる	試こころみさせない
Causative passive	試こころみさせられる	試こころみさせられない
Volitional	試こころみよう
Polite volitional	試こころみましょう
Imperative	試こころみろ	試こころみるな
Conditional	試こころみれば	試こころみなければ
Tara conditional	試こころみたら	試こころみなかったら

Meanings

ichidan verb, transitive verb

try; attempt; have a go at

A transitive Ichidan verb for making an attempt at an action, method, solution, or difficult task. It is a little more formal or written-sounding than 試す in many everyday contexts.

研けん究きゅうチームは新あたらしい治ち療りょう法ほうを試こころみた。
The research team tried a new treatment method.
彼かれは何なん度ども脱だっ出しゅつを試こころみた。
He attempted to escape many times.

See all 92 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

自じ殺さつを試こころみるto attempt suicide
彼かれは一いち度ど自じ殺さつを試こころみたことがある。
He once attempted suicide.
脱だっ出しゅつを試こころみるto attempt an escape
囚しゅう人じんたちは脱だっ出しゅつを試こころみたが失しっ敗ぱいした。
The prisoners attempted an escape but failed.
説せっ得とくを試こころみるto attempt to persuade someone
上じょう司しは彼かの女じょを説せっ得とくを試こころみたが無む駄だだった。
The boss tried to persuade her, but it was useless.
〈動どう詞し〉ことを試こころみるto attempt to do something
研けん究きゅう者しゃたちは新あたらしい方ほう法ほうを試ためすことを試こころみた。
The researchers attempted to try a new method.

Expressions

抵てい抗こうを試こころみるoffer resistance; put up resistance

Kanji

試test, try, attempt

Related words

試ためすN3
試す is the everyday word for trying something to see if it works, while 試みる sounds more formal or literary and often describes a deliberate attempt at something difficult.
挑ちょう戦せんN2
挑戦する emphasizes challenging oneself against something hard, whereas 試みる is more neutral about simply making an attempt.
企くわだてるN1
企てる often implies planning or scheming (sometimes with a negative or covert nuance), while 試みる is a more neutral term for making an attempt.
挑いどむN1
試みる simply means 'to try' something, while 挑む adds a competitive, ambitious drive toward a difficult goal.
トライ
試みる is a native Japanese verb for making a deliberate, often experimental attempt, whereas トライする is a lighter, more casual way to say the same thing.

Opposites

断だん念ねんN1
断念する means to give up or abandon an idea, the opposite of 試みる, which means to make an attempt at it.

Don't confuse with

志こころざすN2
志す (こころざす) and 試みる (こころみる) both start with こころ and are easily confused by sound, but 志す means to aspire toward a goal while 試みる means to actually attempt an action.

Word family

試こころみN1
attempt; trial; experiment · endeavor; effort; initiative
試こころみに
as a test; tentatively; on a trial basis

Written forms

試こころみるUsage96%
Standard and common kanji spelling for this verb.
こころみるUsage4%

Etymology

The exact historical derivation is uncertain. The standard spelling 試みる uses 試, a kanji associated with trying or testing.