凝(こ)らす

こらす
godan verb (transitive)
to concentrate; to focus; to strain
1. to concentrate; to focus; to strain (one's eyes, ears, attention)
to direct one's senses or attention intensely toward something
目(め)を凝(こ)らして見(み)た。
I strained my eyes to look.
耳(みみ)を凝(こ)らして聞(き)いた。
I listened intently.
暗闇(くらやみ)に目(め)を凝(こ)らした。
I peered into the darkness.
2. to elaborate; to put great effort into
to apply careful effort and ingenuity
趣向(しゅこう)を凝(こ)らした料理(りょうり)。
Cuisine with elaborate creativity.
工夫(くふう)を凝(こ)らしたデザイン(でざいん)。
A design with great ingenuity.
知恵(ちえ)を凝(こ)らして問題(もんだい)を解決(かいけつ)した。
I racked my brain to solve the problem.

TRANSITIVITY:
Transitive (他動詞(たどうし))

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 目(め)を凝(こ)らす (to strain one's eyes)
  • 耳(みみ)を凝(こ)らす (to listen intently)
  • 趣向(しゅこう)を凝(こ)らす (to devise with ingenuity)
  • 工夫(くふう)を凝(こ)らす (to apply creative effort)

RELATED:

  • 凝(こ)る (intransitive: to be absorbed in; to stiffen)
  • 集中(しゅうちゅう)する (to concentrate)
general
Added 2026.1.25 17:30 · Revised 2026.2.19 21:32
08000/08224_korasu