Multple meaning two syllable verbs

As most commonly and frequently used (therefore important) Japanese verbs are, like other languages, simple and usually two syllables. The meanings of each multiple meaning verb seem different but there are something in common so the root or very general meaning is the same, which may help to you keep the meanings in your memory. Actually the word has multiple meanings only when you use the Chinese characters.


Selected from Post ＜Playing with Japanese two syllable verbs＞

ka-ku (かく、1) 書く、2) 掻く)  - 1) to write; 2) to scratch (in the very old days, to write by scratching on something)

What is common?
1) to write and 2) to scratch are almost the same action.

su-ku (すく、1) 空く、2) 透く、3) 梳く)  - 1) to become empty; 2) to be seen through; 3) to comb (hair)

What is common?
To become spacious (empty), to make empty, space 

tsu-ku (つく、1) 付く、2) 着く、3)点く、4) 搗く、5)就く)   - 1) to attach (adhere) to; 2) to arrive; 3) to switch on; 4) to pound; 5) to take (a seat, a post).

What is common?
Something happens at a point, to make something happen at a point

You can find about  tsu-ku (つく) in more detail in the post <Tsuku (つく) and Hanereru (はなれる)>.

hi-ku (ひく、1) 引く、2) 挽く、3) 弾く、4) 轢く、5) 退く) - 1) to pull, to draw; 2) to grind (beans, etc); 3) to play (a musical instrument); 4)  run over; 5) to retreat.

What is common?
To pull something, to move something toward oneself excluding 4)  run over which slightly relates with 'to drag'.

tsu-gu (つぐ、1) 告ぐ、2) 次ぐ、3) 注ぐ、4) 継ぐ、5) 接ぐ)  - 1) to tell, to inform ; 2) to follow, to be next to, 3) to pour; 4) to follow, 5) to attach

What is common?
To do something to a very close thing (person)

ta-tsu (たつ、1) 立つ、2) 発つ、3) 経つ、4) 絶つ、5) 断つ、6) 裁つ) - 1) to stand up, to appear; 2) to leave; 3) to pass (time);  4) to stop, to end, to give up; 5) to cut; 6) to cut (cloth)

What is common?
To make something (or oneself) apart

to-ru  (とる、1) 取る、2) 盗る、3) 採る、4) 撮る、5) 執る) - 1) to take; 2) to steal; 3) to pick up (transitive verb); 4) to take (picture); 5) to manage, to lead

What is common?
Generally to take something.


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