引ひき下さがる

ひ

き

さ

が

る

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

withdraw; leave; retire

Used for physically stepping back from a place or situation, often with a sense of retreat or departure.

彼かれは一いち言ごんも言いわずに部屋へやから引ひき下さがった。
He withdrew from the room without saying a word.

2

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

back down; give up

Used for conceding in an argument, abandoning a demand, or retreating from a position under pressure.

彼かれは上じょう司しの反はん対たいに遭あって、その提てい案あんから引ひき下さがった。
He backed down from the proposal after facing opposition from his boss.

Written forms

引ひき下さがるUsage68%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and general use.
引ひきさがるUsage17%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
ひきさがるUsage13%
引ひき下さがるUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
引ひき下さがるUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.

Kanji

引pull, tug, jerk
下below, down, descend

Similar words

退しりぞく
退く also means to withdraw or step back, but is more formal and often used for retreating from a position of authority or in military contexts.
引ひき返かえす
引き返す means to turn back or return, focusing on the action of going back to a starting point, while 引き下がる emphasizes stepping back or conceding.

Etymology

Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'pull') + 下がる (sagaru, 'go down, step back'). The literal meaning is 'pull back and go down', which developed into the figurative senses of withdrawing or backing down.