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縮こまる (ちぢこまる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb
curl up ; huddle ; shrink into oneself
Describes a person or animal drawing their body in tightly, often from cold, fear, or discomfort. Can also be used figuratively for feeling small or intimidated.
こ
供ども
は
隅すみ
っこ
で
縮ちぢ
こまっ
て
い
た
。
Scolded, the child was huddled in the corner.
Written forms 縮ちぢ こまる Usage 81%
ちぢこまる Usage 19%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing.
Kanji 縮 shrink, contract, shrivel Similar words 縮ちぢ む 縮む means 'to shrink' in size or length, while 縮こまる emphasizes the action of curling up or huddling into a compact posture.
うずくまる うずくまる means 'to crouch' or 'to squat' with a focus on lowering the body, often on the ground. 縮こまる implies drawing the limbs in tightly, making oneself small.
Etymology Compound of 縮 (ちぢ, 'shrink') + こまる (from 込まる, 'go into'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely expresses the idea of shrinking into a compact state.
