納める

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 納める is read as おさめる. This transitive verb broadly means putting something into its proper destination, including paying money due or placing an object away.
• Basic usage: In 税金を納める it means to pay taxes, while 刀を鞘へ納める means to put a sword into its sheath; を marks the object and へ can mark the destination.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Translate by context
  • The tax sense requires pay or remit, while the sword sense requires put away or sheathe; one English gloss will not fit both naturally.
• Distinguish homophones
  • 治める concerns governing and 修める concerns mastering a field, so learn the spelling together with its typical object.