つまり (or 詰(つ)まり) is a word in Japanese that is often used as a 副詞(ふくし) (adverb). It takes a previous statement (said either by the speaker or by someone else) and summarizes it. This translates as ‘in short’, ‘in other words’, and similar expressions in English.
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ハマサキさんはまた何(なに)も言(い)わずに休(やす)んだのですか?つまり、また無断(むだん)欠勤(けっきん)という事(こと)ですね。
Hamasaki-san didn't come to work without saying anything again? In other words, he ditched work again, didn't he?
彼氏(かれし)と本当(ほんとう)に別(わか)れたの?つまり、もうあんな奴(やつ)と関(かか)わらなくていいということ?
Did you really break up with your boyfriend? In other words, that means we don't have to deal with him anymore?
また誰(だれ)か辞(やめ)めたんですか?つまり、今(いま)すぐ新(あたら)しい人(ひと)を見(み)付(つ)けないといけないという事(こと)ですね。
Someone quit again ? In other words, we need to find a new person as soon as possible, right?
つまり comes from verb 詰(つ)まる meaning to become ‘packed’, or ‘condensed’. This means that the literal translation is of
つまり is quite similar to its English interpretation.
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あなたは昨日(きのう)一日(いちにち)中(じゅう)家(いえ)でゲームをして、家(いえ)の事(こと)は何(なに)もしなかったってことですね。つまり一日(いちにち)中(じゅう)ダラダラしていたという事(こと)ですね。
You are saying that you were at home playing video games without doing any chores yesterday. Condensed, you were being lazy. (In short)