積み重ねる・積重ねる・つみ重ねる|つみかさねるtsumikasaneru[5]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
積み重ねる積み重ねる is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners when writing this word.
積重ねる積重ねる is less common than 積み重ねる. You may encounter it as a written variant, but it is not the first choice for beginners.
つみ重ねるつみ重ねる is the least common of the three written forms. Beginners should choose 積み重ねる instead.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto pile up; to accumulate
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 積み重ねる（つみかさねる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 積み重ねます（つみかさねます） |
| Negative (nai) | 積み重ねない（つみかさねない） |
| polite (masen) | 積み重ねません（つみかさねません） |
| classical zu / nu | 積み重ねず・積み重ねぬ（つみかさねず・つみかさねぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 積み重ねた（つみかさねた） |
| polite (mashita) | 積み重ねました（つみかさねました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 積み重ねなかった（つみかさねなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 積み重ねませんでした（つみかさねませんでした） |
| Te form | 積み重ねて（つみかさねて） |
| Potential | 積み重ねられる（つみかさねられる） |
| Passive | 積み重ねられる（つみかさねられる） |
| Causative | 積み重ねさせる（つみかさねさせる） |
| Causative passive | 積み重ねさせられる（つみかさねさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 積み重ねれば（つみかさねれば） |
| tara | 積み重ねたら（つみかさねたら） |
| Volitional | 積み重ねよう（つみかさねよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 積み重ねましょう（つみかさねましょう） |
| Imperative | 積み重ねろ（つみかさねろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
本が積み重なる
本を積み重ねる
積み重なる emphasizes a state where items pile up naturally or without an agent, while 積み重ねる highlights a deliberate act of stacking or accumulating them.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym積み上げるつみあげるNeutralPiles things high or builds a track record, stressing height; 「積み重ねる」 stresses layer-by-layer, repeated accumulation of experience and effort.
- Synonym重ねるかさねるNeutralMeans to overlap or repeat, and can also express accumulation, as in 「年を重ねる」「経験を重ねる」; 「積み重ねる」 puts more emphasis on layer-by-layer piling up.
- Synonym積むつむNeutralCovers piling, loading and accumulating, with a wide range of uses, as in 「経験を積む」.
- Antonym取り崩すとりくずすNeutralMeans to demolish or to draw on savings little by little — the opposite of the accumulation expressed by 「積み重ねる」.
- Antonym減らすへらすNeutralMeans to decrease or lessen; the opposite of 「積み重ねる」, which builds up and increases.
Use 「積み重ねる」 for building up experience or effort layer by layer, as in 「努力を積み重ねる」「経験の積み重ね」. For piling things high choose 「積み上げる」, for general accumulating 「積む」, for overlapping or repeating 「重ねる」; the opposite is 「減らす」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
