つとめて

つとめて

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
努めて 勉めて (uncommon) 力めて (uncommon)

Extension of regular verb form 務めて (tsutomete), from 務める (tsutomeru, “to make an effort, to work at something”).[1][2][3][4]

First cited to a version of the Lotus Sutra dated to the mid-1200s.[1]

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) つと​めて [tsùtóꜜmètè] (Nakadaka – [2])[3][4]
• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨᵝto̞me̞te̞]

Adverb

つとめて • (tsutomete) 

1. [from mid-1200s] as much as possible; as far as possible; to the best of one's ability; diligently

   努(つと)めて英(えい)語(ご)で話(はな)す

   tsutomete Eigo de hanasu

   to speak in English as much as possible

Etymology 2

Compound of 夙 (tsuto, “early morning”) +‎ めて (mete, uncertain).[5][3]

First cited to The Tales of Ise of the early 900s.[5][6]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨᵝto̞me̞te̞]

• Pitch accent uncertain.

Noun

つとめて • (tsutomete) 

1. [from early 900s] (archaic) early morning
   • 1002, Sei Shōnagon, The Pillow Book

     春(はる)は曙(あけぼの) […] 夏(なつ)は夜(よる) […] 秋(あき)は夕(ゆう)暮(ぐ)れ […] 冬(ふゆ)はつとめて

     haru wa akebono […] natsu wa yoru […] aki wa yūgure […] fuyu wa tsutomete

     Spring is dawn […] Summer is night […] Autumn is sunset […] Winter is early morning

2. (archaic) next morning

References

1. “勤て・勉て・努て”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN
2. “努めて”, in デジタル大辞泉 (Dejitaru Daijisen)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
3. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
4. 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
5. “つとめて”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN
6. “つとめて”, in デジタル大辞泉 (Dejitaru Daijisen)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months