Structure
Phrase (A)。つまり + (Summary) Phrase (B)
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Standard
使用域
一般
Rare Kanji
詰まり
About つまり
つまり (or 詰まり) is a word in Japanese that is often used as an 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.
- ハマサキさんはまた何も言わずに休んだのですか?つまり、また無断欠勤という事ですね。Hamasaki-san didn't come to work without saying anything again? In other words, he ditched work again, didn't he?
- 彼氏と本当に別れたの?つまり、もうあんな奴と関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?
- また誰か辞めたんですか?つまり、今すぐ新しい人を見付けないといけないという事ですね。Someone quit again ? In other words, we need to find a new person as soon as possible, right?
Fun Fact
つまり comes from verb 詰まる meaning to become 'packed', or 'condensed'. This means that the literal translation is of つまり is quite similar to its English interpretation.- あなたは昨日一日中家でゲームをして、家の事は何もしなかったってことですね。つまり一日中ダラダラしていたという事ですね。You are saying that you were at home playing video games without doing any chores yesterday. Condensed, you were being lazy. (In short)
Synonyms
Examples
明日何時でも良いんだって。つまり、夜遅くなっても良いらしい。
They said anytime tomorrow is good. To sum up, it seems that even late at night is ok.
彼はいつも約束を破る。つまり、私のこと好きじゃないよね。
He's always breaking his promises to me. In other words it seems that he isn't fond of me, right?
この車は電気自動車です。つまり、ガソリンがいらない。
This is an electric car. In other words it doesn't need gasoline.
A: 「問題が起きました。」
B: 「つまり、何が言いたいんですか?」A: 'We have a problem.'
B: 'In short, what are you trying to say?'長々と説明したけど、結論を言うと、つまりそれは失敗だったということだ。
I gave a very long explanation but, in short, we concluded that it was a failure.
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つまり – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (1 in total)
Ambo100
Perhaps an easy way to remember this, would be to use this phonetic mnemonic:
ツマリ - つまり
サマリ - summary
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