詰 means “pack, cram”

つめる · tsumeru

Also: packed, close, pressed, reprove

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

つめる, つめ, つまる, つむ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

キツ, キチ

JLPT N2 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

Words (言) and good luck (吉): picture a shrine box crammed so full of fortune slips the lid won't shut. 詰める is to pack in tight, 缶詰 is canned food, and in shogi 詰み is checkmate, so 詰んだ is slang for "I'm done for".

Used in 詰める (tsumeru, to pack/stuff), 缶詰 (kanzume, canned food), and 詰め合わせ (tsumeawase, assortment)

More from Handle With Care

• 埋 bury
• 封 seal
• 捨 throw away
• 沈 sink
• 拾 pick up
• 磨 polish
• 挟 put between
• 査 examine
• 含 contain
• 接 contact
• 捜 search for
• 採 pick

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.