Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
引きこもる (ひきこもる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb
stay indoors ; shut oneself in ; be confined indoors
Describes voluntarily or involuntarily staying inside a room or house for an extended period, often with a nuance of social withdrawal. The derived noun ひきこもり refers to a person who withdraws from society.
を
読よ
む
の
が
好す
き
だ
。
On rainy days I like to stay indoors and read books.
Written forms 引ひ きこもる Usage 57%
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; the most common written form.
ひきこもる Usage 21%
Kana spelling; often used in contexts discussing social withdrawal (ひきこもり).
引ひ き 籠こも る Usage 8%
引ひ き 籠こ もる Usage 7%
Alternative kanji for こもる; less common but still encountered.
引ひ き 篭こ もる Usage 3%
Alternative kanji for こもる; less common but still encountered.
引ひ き 篭こも る Usage 2%
引ひき 籠こも る Usage 1%
引ひき 篭こ もる Usage 1%
Kanji 籠 basket, devote oneself, seclude oneself 篭 seclude oneself, cage, coop Similar words ひきこもり Noun form meaning a person who withdraws from society or the state of social withdrawal; derived from 引きこもる.
閉と じこもる Also means to shut oneself in, but 閉じこもる emphasizes closing the door/entrance and is often used for shorter periods or specific rooms.
Etymology Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'to pull') + こもる (komoru, 'to seclude oneself, be confined'). The combination intensifies the sense of withdrawing and staying inside.