Help with monomorphic, polyphonic verbs


OK, I kind of invented that term. But I'm referring to _**verbs**_ that have
identical kanji and okurigana; have nearly identical meanings; but have
different readings. I'm sure there are many others out there, but some that
immediately come to mind are:

  * [解]{と}く・[解]{ほど}く
  * [抱]{だ}く・[抱]{いだ}く
  * [溶]{と}ける・[溶]{とろ}ける 
    * Although I believe the latter is more often written as 蕩ける
  * [埋]{う}める・[埋]{うず}める
  * [脅]{おど}かす・[脅]{おびや}かす

The typical answer is that context dictates the usage. However, when the
meanings are so close, or even overlap, context doesn't (really) help. So how
do you know which reading to use? Is it dealer's choice at that point?

Admittedly, I have a fairly clear grasp on the nuances between [抱]{だ}く and
[抱]{いだ}く, since [抱]{いだ}く usually has a more figurative meaning. But even
[looking it up now](https://jisho.org/search/%E6%8A%B1%E3%81%8F), I see that
[抱]{いだ}く can _also_ mean "to physically hold in one's arms" (which I didn't
previously know). But at least we know a nuance exists.

However, I often see 脅かす show up in my Japanese Bible. And maybe it's just me,
but [I don't see any nuance differentiating the
two](https://jisho.org/search/%E8%84%85%E3%81%8B%E3%81%99). So I never know
how it's supposed to be read.

So what's the non-native reader to do? Is it just a matter of learning the
subtleties and memorizing them? Do nuances even necessarily exist in all
cases?




Although you may hate this, after all 'context' is the only clue. Generally
there are cases where ambiguity remains. That said, really ambiguous cases are
not so frequent and 脅かす（おどかす・おびやかす) is one of the rare cases.

The following is an example for
[おびやかす](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E8%84%85%E3%81%8B%E3%81%99_%28%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B3%E3%82%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%99%29/#jn-32687)

  * 刃物で人を脅かす

But I think most native speakers would read it as おどかす. This is a case where
only the writer knows how to read it. Still in most cases おどかす/おびやかす are
distinct. For example,

  * [脅]{おど}かさないで _Don't scare me_
  * 平和を[脅]{おびや}かす _Subj. threatens peace_ or _Peace-threatening_

As you are probably aware, the objects of おどかす/おびやかす are (usually) different
(roughly animate vs. inanimate), but they can overlap and reading will be
ambiguous in such cases . (Cf.
[here](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/9380/meaning/m0u/))

(In the above example "刃物で人を脅かす", おどかす/おびやかす mean mostly the same; おびやかす
sounds actually a bit weird to me.)

* * *

Practically the following may be useful.

## Use of hiragana

As for the examples mentioned in the question, the second reading is less
frequent and simply hiragana will be used. This is true especially of ほどく and
とろける. So 解く and 溶ける are likely to be read as とく/とける. 脅かす is a borderline case,
I guess.

## Collocations/Fixed Expressions

Like 平和を脅かす, the second reading is more common in some fixed combination of
words. E.g. 大志を[抱]{いだ}く, 骨を[埋]{うず}める、手紙を[認]{したた}める. Except for this kind of
expressions, these kanjis tend to be read in the first reading (だく,うめる,みとめる).

## Contexts

There are cases where contexts usually disambiguate: この道を **通った** can be read
とおった or かよった, depending on whether you just passed the road once or used the
road to commute to somewhere.

臭い(におい、くさい) is another word usually disambiguated by contexts or probably by
grammar.

* * *

[This page](https://quesnt.net/2019/09/25/wrong_word/) lists the kind of words
you mention in the question.




Although you may hate this, after all 'context' is the only clue. Generally
there are cases where ambiguity remains. That said, really ambiguous cases are
not so frequent and 脅かす（おどかす・おびやかす) is one of the rare cases.

The following is an example for
[おびやかす](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E8%84%85%E3%81%8B%E3%81%99_%28%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B3%E3%82%84%E3%81%8B%E3%81%99%29/#jn-32687)

  * 刃物で人を脅かす

But I think most native speakers would read it as おどかす. This is a case where
only the writer knows how to read it. Still in most cases おどかす/おびやかす are
distinct. For example,

  * [脅]{おど}かさないで _Don't scare me_
  * 平和を[脅]{おびや}かす _Subj. threatens peace_ or _Peace-threatening_

As you are probably aware, the objects of おどかす/おびやかす are (usually) different
(roughly animate vs. inanimate), but they can overlap and reading will be
ambiguous in such cases . (Cf.
[here](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/9380/meaning/m0u/))

(In the above example "刃物で人を脅かす", おどかす/おびやかす mean mostly the same; おびやかす
sounds actually a bit weird to me.)

* * *

Practically the following may be useful.

## Use of hiragana

As for the examples mentioned in the question, the second reading is less
frequent and simply hiragana will be used. This is true especially of ほどく and
とろける. So 解く and 溶ける are likely to be read as とく/とける. 脅かす is a borderline case,
I guess.

## Collocations/Fixed Expressions

Like 平和を脅かす, the second reading is more common in some fixed combination of
words. E.g. 大志を[抱]{いだ}く, 骨を[埋]{うず}める、手紙を[認]{したた}める. Except for this kind of
expressions, these kanjis tend to be read in the first reading (だく,うめる,みとめる).

## Contexts

There are cases where contexts usually disambiguate: この道を **通った** can be read
とおった or かよった, depending on whether you just passed the road once or used the
road to commute to somewhere.

臭い(におい、くさい) is another word usually disambiguated by contexts or probably by
grammar.

* * *

[This page](https://quesnt.net/2019/09/25/wrong_word/) lists the kind of words
you mention in the question.

