くっつく

く

っ

つ

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

stick to; adhere to; cling to

usually written using kana alone

Physical sticking or clinging; used for objects, substances, or things that attach themselves to a surface or each other.

ガムが靴くつの裏うらにくっついた。
Gum stuck to the sole of my shoe.

濡ぬれたシャツが肌はだにくっつく。

The wet shirt clings to my skin.

2

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

keep close to; stay near; tag along

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person or animal staying physically close to someone, often following them around.

弟おとうとはずっと私わたしにくっついて歩あるいた。
My little brother kept close to me the whole time we walked.
子こ犬いぬが飼かい主ぬしにくっついて離はなれない。
The puppy sticks close to its owner and won't leave.

3

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

get involved with; be thick with; become intimate

usually written using kana alone

Used for people becoming close or inseparable in a social or romantic sense; can imply a slightly clingy or inseparable relationship.

あの二人ふたりはすぐにくっついた。
Those two quickly became an item.
彼かれはいつも悪わるい仲なか間まとくっついている。
He's always hanging around with a bad crowd.

Written forms

くっ付つくUsage3%
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; it is the highest-priority form.
くっつくUsage97%
Kana-only spelling is very common and matches usual-kana usage.
食くっ付つく
Rare kanji spelling using 食; lists it without a high priority.

Kanji

付adhere, attach, refer to
食eat, food

Similar words

くっ付つける
Transitive counterpart meaning 'to attach' or 'to stick something to something else'; くっつく is intransitive.
付つく
A broader intransitive verb for 'to stick' or 'to be attached'; くっつく is more colloquial and emphatic.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 付く (つく, 'to stick') with the emphatic prefix くっ, which adds a sense of forcefulness or closeness. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it is a common colloquial formation.