In this fourth lesson on verbs with both intransitive and transitive usages, we’ll continue to uncover peculiarities in Japanese at the individual word basis.
持つ
As a transitive verb, 持つ means “to hold/possess/have.” As an intransitive verb, it means to keep (as in perishable goods) or “to be durable (as in the body).” As an intransitive verb, it is usually spelled as もつ.
1. 誰でも自分の行動に責任を持っている。
Everyone holds responsible for his own actions.
2. ブランドの財布を持っています。
I have a brand wallet.
3. このままでは体がもたない。
At this rate, my body won’t last.
4. お味噌汁を作ったら、何日くらいもちますか。
Once you've made miso soup, about how many days is it good for?
馳せる
馳せる has almost entirely disappeared from Modern Japanese, but its grammar is interesting. In the physical sense, it either means “to hurry/run to…” or “to ride…fast.” Nowadays, the verb is usually limited to set phrases like 思いを馳せる (to give more than a passing thought to…).
5. 彼は頼朝のもとへ（と）馳せようとした。
He ran for Yoritomo’s side.
6. 城の方から馬が｛走り寄って・駆け寄って・馳せて｝来た。
Horses came running from the direction of the castle.
7. 武者が馬を｛走らせながら・馳せながら｝矢を射た。
The warriors shot arrows as they raced their horses.
8. 米国の暮らしに思いを｛巡らして・馳せて｝います。
I’ve been thinking nostalgically upon my living in America.
跳ねる
Haneru as an intransitive verb means “to jump/leap/splash,” and as a transitive verb it means “to splash/hit (with a car)/reject” among other things. Traditionally, the intransitive form is spelled as 跳ねる and the transitive form is spelled as 撥ねる. Usually, though, 跳ねる or はねる will work.
Grammatically speaking, the intransitive form cannot be used in certain forms such as the passive. In such instances, the transitive form must be used.
9. 揚げ物をしていて油が跳ねて目に入った。
I was deep-frying food when oil splashed up and got in my eyes.
10. 海面には、魚が跳ねています。
Fish are leaping up from the sea.
11. あの車は、水溜りの泥を歩行者に｛跳ねた・撥ねた｝。
That car splashed mud from the muddle over the pedestrian(s).
12. 泥が私の晴れ着に跳ねてしまった。
Mud splashed onto my best clothes.
13. 車に水をはねられて濡れてしまった。
I got wet from being splattered with water by a car.
14. 走行中に丸太のようなものをはねてしまった。
I ran over a log of some sort while driving.
15. 警備員の男性がはねられて死亡しました。
A male security officer passed away from being ran over.
16. 検査で不良品をはね（のけ）る。
To exclude defective products in inspection.
Spelling Note: Hanenokeru may be spelled as 撥ね除ける.
In addition to the meanings mentioned above, the transitive 撥ねる may also be used to mean “to point up/add a hook.” This is typically in reference to things like mustaches or the hooks on characters.
17. 「干」という漢字を撥ねて書くと、「于」という別字になります。
The Kanji "干" when written with a hook becomes “于,” a separate character.
The transitive 撥ねる also has the meaning “to make nasal.” This is in reference to sound changes in Japanese that result in sounds being turned into ん.
18. 「死にて」は「死んで」と撥ねます。
We nasalize “shinite” as “shinde.”
The transitive haneru also has the meaning of “to behead.” Although typically spelled as はねる, its traditional spelling is 刎ねる.
19. 首を刎ねろ！
Behead him!
Word Note: Kubi may refer to the head along with the neck. This comes from the fact that the neck is the point of severing in a beheading. Historically, 頸 should be the character for neck because 首 refers to the head in Chinese. In anatomy, the head is often referred to as 頭部（とうぶ） while the neck is referred to as 頸部（けいぶ）.
はだける
開ける is unique in that it traditionally creates an intransitive/transitive verb pair with 開かる. From appearances alone, 開かる should be the intransitive form and 開ける should be the transitive form, but now, 開ける can be used as both to mean “to open (one’s clothes) to expose (one’s chest).” Although not limited to the chest, it can be used to indicate clothing no longer covering some part of the body.
20. 足を動かしても、裾が｛開ける・開かる｝心配などありません。
Even if you move your legs, there’s no worry of your cuffs being exposed.
21. 着用が困難で、胸が開ける恐れもある。
Wearing is difficult, and there is also the fear of your chest becoming exposed.
22. 彼はシャツのボタンを外し、筋肉質の胸を開けた。
He undid the buttons of his shirt and exposed his muscular chest.
One meaning that 開かる doesn’t share with 開ける is “to obstruct/block (the way),” and in this sense, it is usually seen in the compound verb 立ちはだかる.
23. 目の前に大きな壁が立ちはだかっている。
A large wall stands in the way in front of my eyes.
生じる
The verb 生じる means “to happen/occur/germinate.” For the most part, it is usually used as an intransitive verb. However, it can technically also be used as a transitive verb. This is possible when the subject of the verb can be viewed as the agent. Yet, many speakers don’t like the verb being used as a transitive verb if it’s not used in the causative form 生じさせる. This is why, as the example sentences demonstrate, there will always be a way to phrase out the transitive 生じる.
24. 表面近くの細胞から芽が｛出る・生じる｝ことが分かりました。
We discovered that buds sprout from the cells close to the surface.
25. その違いによって、貿易から利益が生じる。
Based on that difference, profit results from trade.
26a. 豆腐にカビが｛生えた・生じた｝。
26b. 豆腐がカビを生じた。
Mold grew on the tofu.
Spelling Note: Kabi may also be spelled as 黴.
27. 不利益を｛被る・生じる｝可能性が高い。
There is a high probability of suffering a loss.
28. 多少の混乱を｛招く・生じる｝言葉の一つです。
This is one (of several) words that causes some confusion.
29. 呼吸に問題｛が・を｝生じる疾患では、呼吸障害だけが問題になることは少ない。
In ailments that cause problems in one’s respiration, there are few instances in which respiratory impairment is the only problem at hand.
30. 副作用を生じ（させ）ることなく良好な睡眠を得ることができます。
We will be ale to get satisfactory sleep without causing any side effects.
31. 免疫機能に支障を｛来たす・生じ（させ）る｝重篤な疾病に罹ってしまう。
To suffer from a severe illness that creates an impediment to one’s immune system.
Word Notes: There are several words for “illness.” Of these include 病気, 病い, 疾病, 疾患, and 患い.
疾病 is a clinical terminology for “illness.” 疾患 refers to ailments that bring about physical and or mental symptoms. 病気 is the more general term for “illness” used most commonly in the spoken language and in more subjective situations. 病い is the native word for “sickness,” but it takes on a personal tone to an ailment. Whereas 疾患 can refer to a medical state of function failure, 胸の病い would refer to personal suffering in the chest. The native equivalent of 疾患 is 患い and is even more emphatic than 病い, but it is more so used to refer to suffering of the heart. However, it is rarely used outside of literature.
踊る
踊る can be used to mean “to dance” in an intransitive or transitive sense. When used to mean “to pound/throb/jump,” it’s spelled as 躍る.
32. ワルツを踊りましょう。
Let’s dance the waltz.
33. 心が躍っている。
My heart is throbbing.
寄せる
As an intransitive verb, 寄せる means “to surge (as in waves).” As a transitive verb, it means “to come/bring near.”
34. 沖に波が寄せている。
Waves are surging in the open sea.
35. 彼は耳元に口を寄せてそっと囁いた。
He brought his mouth near to my ears and softly whispered.
36. いつも眉間に皺を寄せている人といつも笑顔の人はどちらが好きですか。
Which do you like, people who are always furrowing their brows or people who always have a smile on their face?
37. 今日も、マムシたちが草藪に身を寄せていた。
The pit vipers were living under the clump of bushes today as well.
Spelling Note: Mamushi may also be spelled as 蝮.
誤る
Traditionally, 誤る was the intransitive version of 過つ, both revolving around expressing failure/mistake. Nowadays, 過つ is hardly used aside from its noun form 過ち (fault/indiscretion), and 誤る exists both as an intransitive and a transitive verb, but mostly a transitive verb aside from when 誤った is used similarly to 間違った (mistaken) before nouns.
38. どこで道を誤ってしまったのだろうか。
Where have I gone wrong?
39. 操作を誤って相手先の電話番号を一つ削除してしまった。
I made a mistake in handling (my phone) and accidentally deleted one of my contact’s phone numbers.
40. あなたは鍼について誤った認識をしていませんか。
Do you not have a mistaken perception about acupuncture?
笑う
As an intransitive verb, 笑う means “to laugh,” but as a transitive verb it means “to laugh at/make fun of.” As a transitive verb, it can alternatively be spelled as 嗤う.
41. 犬も笑うんでしょうか。
Do dogs also laugh?
42. 彼の嬉しそうに笑っている姿を想像してみた。
I tried imagining the look of him happily laughing.
43. 一円を｛笑う・嗤う｝者は一円に泣く。
He who makes fun of one yen will cry at one yen.
44. 目糞鼻糞を｛笑う・嗤う｝。
The pot calls the kettle black.
45. 何故笑ってはいけない場面で笑ってしまうんだろうか。
We do (I/we) laugh in scenes where we ought not to laugh?
つとめる
Tsutomeru has both intransitive and transitive nuances. They are conveniently spelled differently.
Intransitive Nuances: 勤める, 努める
Transitive Nuance: 務める
46. 大手会社に勤めています。
I work at a major company.
47. 実現に努めています。
I’m striving to realize it.
48. 代理人を務めています。
I’m serving as a proxy/agent/representative.
There is also an intransitive 勤まる・務まる, which is used to mean “to be fit for (job/post).” In the case of a typical job, the former spelling is used. In the case of a typical post, the latter spelling is used.
49. 私に務まるだろうか。
Am I even fit (for the post)?
50. とても勤まりそうもない。
I’m far from fit (for the job).