骨を盗む · godan verb (-mu)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 骨を盗む | 骨を盗まない |
| Polite | 骨を盗みます | 骨を盗みません |
| Past polite | 骨を盗みました | 骨を盗みませんでした |
| Past | 骨を盗んだ | 骨を盗まなかった |
| Te-form | 骨を盗んで | 骨を盗まないで |
| Desire | 骨を盗みたい | 骨を盗みたくない |
| Potential | 骨を盗める | 骨を盗めない |
| Passive | 骨を盗まれる | 骨を盗まれない |
| Causative | 骨を盗ませる | 骨を盗ませない |
| Causative passive | 骨を盗ませられるalso 骨を盗まされる | 骨を盗ませられないalso 骨を盗まされない |
| Volitional | 骨を盗もう | |
| Polite volitional | 骨を盗みましょう | |
| Imperative | 骨を盗め | 骨を盗むな |
| Conditional | 骨を盗めば | 骨を盗まなければ |
| Tara conditional | 骨を盗んだら | 骨を盗まなかったら |
spare oneself; avoid effort; cut corners
Used when someone avoids hard work or takes the easy way out. Often appears in negative or admonishing contexts. Compare with 骨を惜しむ, which has a similar meaning.
See also: 骨を惜しむ
He always spares himself and chooses only easy tasks.
骨を盗まずに、最後までやり遂げなさい。
Don't cut corners; see it through to the end.
nullify someone's efforts
Archaic usage, typically in the negative forms 骨を盗むまい or 骨を盗まず, meaning to not let someone's hard work go to waste. Rare in modern Japanese.
先人の骨を盗むまいと、私たちはこの事業を続けてきた。
We have continued this project so as not to nullify the efforts of our predecessors.