Japanese edit

Kanji in this term
つか
Hyōgaiji
kun’yomi

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From older 下二段 (shimo nidan, lower bigrade) verb form 閊う (tsukau),[1][2] itself formed from the 未然形 (mizenkei, incomplete form) つか (tsuka) of root verb つく (tsuku, to stick) + 助動詞 (jodōshi, auxiliary verb) (fu, modern -u; indicates repetition or ongoing state).

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

(つか)える (tsukaeruつかへる (tukaferu)?transitive or intransitive ichidan (stem (つか) (tsukae), past (つか)えた (tsukaeta))

  1. (intransitive) to get stuck
    1. to get jammed
      ()()いるところ家具(かぐ)ドア(つか)ビル(はい)なかった
      Hikkoshite iru tokoro, kagu ga doa de tsukaete biru ni hairanakatta.
      As we were moving, some furniture got stuck in the door and wouldn't go into the building.
    2. to become clogged
      下水管(げすいかん)(つか)汚水(おすい)(あふ)しまっ
      Gesuikan ga tsukaete osui ga afurete shimatta.
      The sewer pipe got clogged and sewage overflowed.
    3. to get choked up, to feel pressure from anxiety or other strong emotion, such as in one's chest or throat
      (むね)(つか)える(のど)(つか)える
      mune ga tsukaeru, nodo ga tsukaeru
      to feel tight in one's chest, to feel choked up in one's throat
    4. to become stiff from tension (mainly said of one's shoulders)
      (いろ)んな不安(ふあん)(かた)(つか)()
      Ironna fuan de kata ga tsukaete kita.
      What with various anxieties, I got stiff in my shoulders.
  2. (transitive, archaic) to put both hands on the floor during a deep bow of thanks or supplication
    ()(つか)()する
    te o tsukaete zasuru
    to take a seat with both hands on the floor in front of oneself

Conjugation edit

References edit

  1. ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN