取(と)り留(と)める

とりとめる
verb-ichidan
to save (a life); to survive; to cling to life
1. to save (a life); to hold on to life; to barely survive
To narrowly avoid death; to have one's life saved, typically after an accident or illness. Almost always used in the set phrase 命(いのち)を取(と)り留(と)める.
命(いのち)は取(と)り留(と)めた。
His life was saved.
手術(しゅじゅつ)のおかげで一命(いちめい)を取(と)り留(と)めた。
Thanks to the surgery, his life was saved.
事故(じこ)に遭(あ)ったが、奇跡的(きせきてき)に命(いのち)を取(と)り留(と)めて意識(いしき)を回復(かいふく)した。
He was in an accident but miraculously survived and regained consciousness.

USAGE:
Almost exclusively used in the pattern 命(いのち)を取(と)り留(と)める or 一命(いちめい)を取(と)り留(と)める. Rarely used with other objects.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 命(いのち)を取(と)り留(と)める (to survive, to have one's life saved)
  • 一命(いちめい)を取(と)り留(と)める (to barely survive — more formal/dramatic)
  • 何(なん)とか命(いのち)を取(と)り留(と)めた (somehow managed to survive)

RELATED:

  • とりとめのない (rambling, incoherent — a separate, common expression from the same root)
  • 九死(きゅうし)に一生(いっしょう)を得(え)る (to have a narrow escape from death)
general
Added 2026.3.7 16:41
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