congeal · concentrate

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 凝 has sixteen strokes and uses the on-reading ぎょう and kun-readings こる and こらす.
• Basic usage: It describes stiffening or solidifying, as well as concentrating or devoting care to something.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Stiffness and absorption
  • 凝る(こる) describes stiff shoulders or absorption in a hobby such as model making. The interpretation depends on what is stiff or what someone is absorbed in.
• Focused effort
  • 目を凝らす means to strain one's eyes to see clearly; 工夫を凝らす means to apply ingenuity and care.
  • 凝固(ぎょうこ) describes solidification or coagulation, as with fat or blood, rather than absorption in a hobby.