Japanese

まる

せっぱつまる
Meaning: to be cornered; to be at one's wits' end
Part of Speech: Verb

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Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present 切羽詰まる 切羽詰まらない
Polite 切羽詰まります 切羽詰まりません
Past 切羽詰まった 切羽詰まらなかった
Polite + Past 切羽詰まりました 切羽詰まりませんでした
Te-form 切羽詰まって 切羽詰まらなくて
Potential 切羽詰まれる 切羽詰まれない
Passive 切羽詰まられる 切羽詰まられない
Causative 切羽詰まらせる 切羽詰まらせない
Causative + Passive 切羽詰まらされる 切羽詰まらされない
Imperative 切羽詰まれ 切羽詰まるな

Handwriting

切
羽
詰
ま
る

Example

I couldn't pay back the debt and, being cornered, I told a lie.

Usage Notes

Describes a situation where someone is so pressured or cornered by circumstances that they have no choice or are desperate. Originally from sword parts (seppa) getting stuck, making it impossible to unsheathe the sword.

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