1.
to endure; to weather; to get through
To bear hardship or difficult conditions and survive through them.
寒さを凌ぐためにコートを着た。
I wore a coat to ward off the cold.
貯金で当面の生活を凌いだ。
I got by with my savings for the time being.
2.
to surpass; to exceed; to outdo
To go beyond or exceed something in ability, quality, or quantity.
彼の実力は師匠を凌ぐほどだ。
His skill is enough to surpass even his master.
TRANSITIVITY:
Transitive verb (他動詞). Takes を.
USAGE:
Sense 1 (endure) is common in expressions about weathering difficult situations:
- 寒さを凌ぐ - to ward off/endure the cold
- 暑さを凌ぐ - to cope with the heat
- 飢えを凌ぐ - to stave off hunger
Sense 2 (surpass) is often used with ほど:
- 〜を凌ぐほど - so much as to surpass ~
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 露を凌ぐ - to take shelter from rain/weather
- 急場を凌ぐ - to get through an emergency
- 先輩を凌ぐ - to surpass one's senior
KANJI NOTE:
Can also be written as 淩ぐ, but 凌ぐ is standard.
REGISTER:
Neutral to slightly literary. Often found in written Japanese.