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引き裂く (ひきさく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

引ひき裂さく

ひ

き

さ

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

tear up; rip apart; tear to pieces

Physically tearing something into pieces with force. Often implies a violent or destructive action.

彼かれは怒いかって手て紙がみを引ひき裂さいた。
He angrily tore up the letter.
犬いぬがクッションを引ひき

裂さ

い

て

しまっ

た

。

The dog ripped the cushion apart.

2

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

force apart; separate forcibly; tear apart (relationship)

Used for forcibly separating people, especially couples or family members, against their will. Emphasizes the emotional pain of the separation.

戦せん争そうが多おおくの家か族ぞくを引ひき裂さいた。
The war tore many families apart.
二人ふたりは親おやに引ひき裂さかれた。
The two were forcibly separated by their parents.

Written forms

引ひき裂さくUsage91%
Standard kanji spelling.
ひきさくUsage4%
引ひき裂さくUsage3%
Variant spelling without okurigana.
引ひきさくUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kana-mixed form.

Kanji

引pull, tug, jerk
裂split, rend, tear

Similar words

裂さく
裂く is a general verb for tearing or splitting, while 引き裂く adds the nuance of pulling apart with force, often more violent or emotional.
引ひき離はなす
引き離す means to pull apart or separate physically, often with a focus on creating distance, while 引き裂く emphasizes the destructive or painful nature of the separation.

Etymology

Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'to pull') + 裂く (saku, 'to tear'). The combination intensifies the tearing action, implying pulling apart with force.