Meaning and Usage
The verb 繕う (つくろう) primarily means "to mend" or "to repair," often used for clothes, furniture, or other items that need fixing. It can also be used metaphorically to mean "to put on a facade" or "to cover up" one's true feelings or situation.
Common Contexts
- Physical repair: Mending torn clothes, fixing broken objects.
- Appearance or behavior: Adjusting one's appearance or demeanor to hide true feelings or to make a situation look better.
Collocations and Patterns
- 繕う + 服 (つくろう ふく): to mend clothes.
- 見た目を繕う (みためをつくろう): to fix or adjust one's appearance.
- 気持ちを繕う (きもちをつくろう): to hide or mask one's feelings.
Register and Nuance
繕う is a somewhat formal or literary verb, often found in written Japanese or polite speech. It is less casual than 縫う (ぬう, to sew) when referring to mending clothes. When used metaphorically, it implies a deliberate effort to conceal or improve something.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 繕う with 縫う, which specifically means "to sew." 繕う includes sewing but also broader repair or adjustment, including non-sewing fixes and figurative uses. Remember that 繕う can apply to both physical repairs and social/psychological facades.