詰つめる

ichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb

shorten; move closer together

Reduce physical distance or time between things; make more compact. Can be used for shortening a schedule, moving people closer, or tightening a gap.

• 会かい議ぎの時じ間かんを30分ぷん詰つめる。

  We shorten the meeting by 30 minutes.

• もう少すこし詰つめて座すわってください。

  Please sit a little closer together.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

reduce spending; conserve

Cut down on expenses or use resources more frugally. Often used with 生活費, 予算, etc.

• 生せい活かつ費ひを詰つめて貯ちょ金きんする。

  I save money by cutting down on living expenses.

ichidan verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb

focus intently on; strain oneself to do

Usually in the fixed phrase 根を詰める, meaning to concentrate intensely on something, often to the point of exhaustion.

See also: 根を詰める

• 根こんを詰つめて仕し事ごとをすると体からだを壊こわすよ。

  If you strain yourself working too hard, you'll ruin your health.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

work out details; bring to a conclusion; wind up

Thoroughly finalize or settle something, such as a plan, negotiation, or discussion. Often used in business contexts.

• 契けい約やくの細こまかい点てんを詰つめる。

  We work out the details of the contract.

• 話はなしを詰つめてから返へん事じします。

  I'll give you an answer after we finalize the discussion.

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

be on duty; be stationed

Intransitive use: stay at a post or be assigned to a location for work, such as a guard, receptionist, or salesperson.

• 今日きょうは一いち日にち中じゅう受うけ付つけに詰つめている。

  I'm stationed at the reception desk all day today.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

corner; trap; checkmate

Drive someone into a corner, especially in shogi (Japanese chess) where it means to checkmate the opponent's king. Also used figuratively.

• 王おうを詰つめる手てを考かんがえる。

  I think of a move to checkmate the king.

• 質しつ問もんで相あい手てを詰つめる。

  I corner my opponent with questions.

ichidan verb, transitive verb

cut off one's finger; catch one's finger

Two distinct meanings: (1) cut off one's own finger as a formal apology (yakuza tradition); (2) catch one's finger in a door, etc. The latter is predominantly Kansai dialect.

See also: 指を詰める

• 昔むかしのやくざは指ゆびを詰つめて謝しゃ罪ざいした。

  Old-time yakuza cut off their fingers to apologize.

• ドアに指ゆびを詰つめてもうた。（関かん西さい弁べん）

  I caught my finger in the door. (Kansai dialect)

auxiliary verb, ichidan verb

do non-stop; do continuously; do completely; do thoroughly

Auxiliary verb attached to the continuative form of another verb. Indicates doing something without pause or doing it thoroughly to completion.

• 一いち日にち中じゅう歩あるき詰つめた。

  I walked non-stop all day.

• 原げん稿こうを書かき詰つめる。

  I write the manuscript through to the end.

auxiliary verb, ichidan verb

force someone into a difficult situation by ...

Auxiliary verb use: by doing the preceding verb, one corners or pressures someone. Often implies persistent or aggressive action.

• 彼かれは質しつ問もん攻ぜめにして相あい手てを問とい詰つめた。

  He bombarded them with questions and cornered them.