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Grammar detail: Compound verbs
My current mastery of this grammar:
Japanese has the ability to combine multiple verbs into a single form, known as a compound verb. Compound verbs can be a very useful standardized shortcut, and modern Japanese contains over 2700 of them!
Certain verbs are very commonly used as the second verb, and give an extra sense to the first verb. For example:
- The most common is こ込む, which occurs in 255 compound verbs! On its own 込む means 'to go/put into', and when combined with other verbs introduces the suggestion of in/out motion, such asか駆けこ込む meaning 'rush into'.
- なお直す ordinarily means 'to correct, to fix', but when added to another verb, introduces the idea of doing something again. For example, やりなお直す means 'to redo, to try again';かんが考えなお直す means 'to rethink'.
Other verbs are very commonly used as the first verb, and when combined with other verbs indicate different ways in which that verb is performed. For example:
- と取る meaning 'to take' can be combined with 70+ verbs to show how something can be taken, such asと取りあ上げる 'to take up',と取りけ消す 'to cancel',と取りつか使う 'to handle'.
- み見る meaning 'to see' can be combined with 50+ verbs to indicate different ways of seeing/looking, such asみあ見上げる 'to look up at'.
In Japanese compound verbs are known as
ふくごう
複合
どうし
動詞
.The Japanese National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (NINJAL) has collected a comprehensive database of compound verbs called the Compound Verb Lexicon - see the links below.
See also:
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Grammar search: parts of speech
More information / references
- Compound Verb Lexicon ⇗
- http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/11/24/language/japanese-language-group-puts-compound-verbs-one-place/ ⇗
Kanji used in this grammar
ジョウ ショウ うえ above うわ- above あげる to raise あがる to rise かみ first half, upper part のぼる to climb のぼせる to bring up, to raise のぼす to bring up
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