For land or a building to fall into ruin and become desolate. It is also used to mean that a person's heart becomes desolate and loses its warmth.
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N1業腹ごうはら
「業」 is a Buddhist term meaning intense anger and irritation, and 「腹」 means the belly, used as a metaphor for the place where feelings of anger build up. It refers to being so angry that one cannot bear it. Used in expressions like 「業腹だ」 or 「業腹でならない」, it is an archaic and formal word expressing strong anger or chagrin.
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N1傲慢ごうまん
「傲」 means arrogant, and 「慢」 means to belittle; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to the attitude of believing oneself to be the best and looking down on others. Used in expressions like 「傲慢な態度」 or 「傲慢にふるまう」, it is a formal word used to strongly criticize a person's character or attitude.
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N1枯渇こかつ
「枯」 means for plants to wither, and 「渇」 means for water to dry up; both characters describe natural phenomena of drying up. From this, the word came to be used metaphorically for water, resources, money, or ideas being exhausted to the bottom. Used in expressions like 「資源の枯渇」 or 「資金が枯渇する」, it is a formal word used in contexts where something necessary runs out.
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N1極悪ごくあく
「極」 means utmost, and 「悪」 means bad; together they mean bad to the utmost. It refers to being bad beyond all measure. Used in expressions like 「極悪非道」 or 「極悪人」, it is a formal word for situations of strongly condemning crimes or cruel acts.
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N1極意ごくい
「極」 means to reach the extreme, and 「意」 means heart or insight; together they refer to the insight at the state of utmost mastery. It refers to the most important and profound insight in learning, the arts, or martial arts. Used in expressions like 「極意を授ける」 or 「極意をきわめる」, it expresses the essence obtained through long years of training.
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N1酷似こくじ
「酷」 means severe, and 「似」 means to resemble; together they mean to resemble severely. It refers to appearance or content being so similar that they cannot be told apart. Used in expressions like 「酷似している」 or 「Aに酷似する」, it is a formal word for situations of mentioning a coincidental resemblance or a suspicion of imitation.
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N1酷使こくし
「酷」 means cruel or severe, and 「使」 means to use; together they mean to use harshly. It refers to continuously using a person or thing intensely beyond reasonable limits. Used in expressions like 「目を酷使する」 or 「労働者を酷使する」, in situations of imposing excessive burden.
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N1告訴こくそ
It refers to the victim of a crime requesting the prosecutor or police to punish the perpetrator. Used in expressions like 「告訴する」 or 「告訴を取り下げる」, it is a word used as a legal procedure.
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N1孤軍こぐん
「孤」 means alone and 「軍」 means army; the original meaning refers to a single unit left isolated without support from allies. From this, the word came to describe a unit or individual fighting in isolation. It is a formal term that expresses facing difficulty alone, used almost exclusively as a set phrase such as 「孤軍奮闘する」.
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N1孤高ここう
「孤」 means alone, and 「高」 means a lofty state; together they mean maintaining a lofty state by oneself. It refers to keeping high ideals or position alone, without conforming to others. Used in expressions like 「孤高の人」 or 「孤高を保つ」, it is a somewhat archaic and formal word expressing independent nobility.
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N1固執こしつ
「固」 means firmly, and 「執」 means to grasp or cling; together they mean to cling firmly. It refers to stubbornly not changing one's opinion or thoughts. Used in expressions like 「自説に固執する」 or 「過去に固執する」, in contexts that critically describe a lack of flexibility.
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N1こじつけこじつけ
It refers to forcibly connecting things that originally have no relation by attaching some reasoning. Used in expressions like 「こじつけにすぎない」 or 「こじつけの解釈」, it is a noun used in situations of criticizing forced association.
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N1, N2擦るこする
To press something firmly against the surface of an object and move it. A different action from 「摩る」 (to stroke gently) or 「刷る」 (to print), which are also read 「する」.
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N1誇大こだい
「誇」 means to boast, and 「大」 means large; together they mean to make something appear larger by boasting. It refers to saying or showing something as larger than it actually is. Used in expressions like 「誇大広告」 or 「誇大に表現する」, in contexts that criticize expressions inflated beyond reality.
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N1誇大妄想こだいもうそう
「誇大」 means exaggerated and inflated, and 「妄想」 means imagining without basis in fact; together they mean imagining oneself as larger than one really is. It refers to thinking of one's ability or position as far greater than reality, divorced from facts. Used in expressions like 「誇大妄想に陥る」, it is a four-character idiom used to criticize excessive self-evaluation.
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N1滑稽こっけい
To be so absurd that it is funny enough to make one laugh without meaning to.
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N1拒むこばむ
It refers to clearly not accepting another's proposal or demand. Used in expressions like 「面会を拒む」 or 「協力を拒む」, it is a somewhat formal verb used in situations of refusing with strong intent.
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N1凝らすこらす
It refers to gathering one's mind or ingenuity to one point and putting it to work. Used in expressions like 「目を凝らす」 or 「趣向を凝らす」, it is a verb used in situations of strongly concentrating one's consciousness or creativity.
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N1根幹こんかん
「根」 means root, and 「幹」 means trunk; together they refer to the root and trunk of a tree, that is, the center supporting things. It refers to the most central and important part of a matter. Used in expressions like 「制度の根幹」 or 「根幹に関わる」, it is a formal word for the foundation of an organization or system.
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N1権化ごんげ
A word referring to something that embodies a particular quality or spirit in tangible form. Used metaphorically as in「悪の権化」「執念の権化」to describe an entity that extremely embodies a certain trait.
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N1根源こんげん
「根」 means root, and 「源」 means the source of a river; the word combines two synonymous characters, both indicating the starting point of something. It refers to the great source from which things arise. Used in expressions like 「根源を探る」 or 「悪の根源」, it is a formal word for the cause lying at the deepest part of something.
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N1昏睡こんすい
「昏」 means dark, that is, consciousness growing dim, and 「睡」 means to sleep; together they mean losing consciousness as if in deep sleep. It refers to a state of being unconscious and unresponsive even when called. It is a word used in medical contexts for situations of serious illness or accident, as in 「昏睡状態」 or 「昏睡に陥る」.
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N1痕跡こんせき
「痕」 and 「跡」 are both characters meaning a trace; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to a trace left behind showing that something once existed. Used in expressions like 「痕跡が残る」 or 「痕跡をたどる」, it is a formal word used in investigative or tracking contexts.
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N1根絶こんぜつ
「根」 means root, and 「絶」 means to cut off; together they express completely eliminating something, like pulling out weeds from the root. Used in expressions like 「犯罪を根絶する」 or 「根絶を目指す」, it is a formal word used in contexts of completely removing harm or disease.
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N1根底こんてい
「根」 means root, and 「底」 means bottom; together they mean the bottom of the root, that is, the deepest part of a matter. It refers to the unseen foundation or premise that lies at the very bottom of something. Used in expressions like 「根底にある」 or 「根底から覆す」, it is a formal word for what lies at the deepest part of one's thought or values.
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N1昏倒こんとう
「昏」 means dark, that is, consciousness growing dim, and 「倒」 means to fall; together they mean to lose consciousness and fall. It refers to losing consciousness and collapsing on the spot. Used in expressions like 「昏倒する」 or 「路上で昏倒した」 in medical or incident contexts, it is a formal word.
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N1混沌こんとん
「混」 means to mix, and 「沌」 means a primordial undivided state; the word originally referred to the chaotic state before heaven and earth separated in Chinese mythology. It refers to a state in which things are confused and order or distinction is unclear. Used in expressions like 「混沌とした状況」 or 「混沌に陥る」, it is a formal word for the state of society, politics, or a place.
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N1混迷こんめい
「混」 means to mix, and 「迷」 means to be lost; together they mean to be mixed up and lose one's way. It refers to a situation in which everything is in disarray and the future cannot be foreseen. Used in expressions like 「政局が混迷する」 or 「混迷を深める」, it is a formal word used in social and political contexts.
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