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道Nihongo Path

戒める

いましめる

to warn, to caution

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 自らを戒める。

    みずからをいましめる。

    I caution myself.

  2. 教師は生徒の軽率な行動を戒めた。

    きょうしはせいとのけいそつなこうどうをいましめた。

    The teacher warned the students against careless behaviour.

  3. 気の緩みを戒める言葉を胸に刻んだ。

    きのゆるみをいましめることばをむねにきざんだ。

    I took to heart the words warning against letting my guard down.

Common patterns

自らを戒める
to keep oneself in check
油断を戒める
to warn against carelessness
戒めとする
to take as a lesson

Memory tip

戒める looks forward: it warns against a slip that has not happened yet, very often one's own, as in 自らを戒める. The noun 戒め means 'a lesson learned', as in 失敗を戒めとする.

Kanji in this word

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What does 戒める mean?