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.
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 words
- 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.