1.
to boil down; to be reduced by boiling
To become thickened or reduced in quantity through continued boiling. Used for cooking liquids.
ソースが煮詰まってきた。
The sauce has boiled down.
2.
to be stuck; to reach a deadlock
For discussions or negotiations to reach a point where progress is no longer being made. Originally meant discussions that have been thoroughly deliberated but now often implies a stalemate.
会議が煮詰まって、先に進めない。
The meeting has reached a deadlock and we can't move forward.
話し合いが煮詰まったら、休憩を取ろう。
If the discussion gets stuck, let's take a break.
TRANSITIVITY:
Intransitive verb (自動詞). The transitive pair is 煮詰める (to boil down something).
USAGE NOTE:
The figurative sense (sense 2) has undergone semantic shift. Originally, 「議論が煮詰まる」 meant discussions had been thoroughly worked through to reach a conclusion (positive). Now it's more commonly understood as discussions being stuck in a deadlock (negative). Both usages exist, so context is important.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 議論が煮詰まる (discussions reach a point/get stuck)
- 交渉が煮詰まる (negotiations stall)
- ソースが煮詰まる (sauce boils down)
REGISTER:
Neutral. Used in both casual and formal contexts.
Related Words
Pair verb:
煮詰める (transitive)