1.
to devise cleverly; to use ingenuity; to put thought and effort into
To apply creativity and careful thought to come up with something effective or inventive. Implies dedicated effort in the planning or design of something.
工夫を凝らした料理を作る。
To prepare food with creative ingenuity.
先生は授業に工夫を凝らして生徒を飽きさせない。
The teacher uses ingenuity in class to keep students from getting bored.
デザイナーが工夫を凝らした展示は、来場者から高い評価を受けた。
The cleverly devised exhibition by the designer received high praise from visitors.
A set expression combining 工夫 (ingenuity, device) with 凝らす (to concentrate, to elaborate). The verb 凝らす conveys putting concentrated effort into something, so the expression emphasizes dedicated creative thinking.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 工夫を凝らした料理 — creatively prepared food
- 工夫を凝らしたデザイン — ingeniously crafted design
- 工夫を凝らした授業 — a well-thought-out lesson
- 工夫を凝らした演出 — cleverly devised production/staging
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 工夫する — to devise, to think up (simpler; less emphasis on elaborate effort)
- 趣向を凝らす — to exercise one's ingenuity (similar structure; focuses on creative taste)
- 知恵を絞る — to rack one's brains (emphasizes the difficulty of thinking)
USAGE:
Often appears in the past participle form 工夫を凝らした as a modifier before nouns, describing something that is the product of careful creative effort.