JLPT N1LiteraryFixed pairs

つ～つback and forth; give and take

Two verbs, each with つ, taking turns over and over: back and forth, up and down, give and take. It lives on in a small set of fixed pairs, which you learn whole.

彼かれは廊ろう下かを行ゆきつ戻もどりつ、知しらせを待まった。

He paced up and down the corridor, waiting for news.

地ち域いきの店みせ同どう士しは、持もちつ持もたれつの関かん係けいを築きずいてきた。

The local shops have built up a give-and-take relationship.

How to form it

Verb ます-stem + つ + verb ます-stem + つ

浮うきます, 沈しずみます → 浮うきつ沈しずみつ. Fixed pairs only: two opposites, or one verb and its passive (持もちつ持もたれつ).

In a sentence: The pair works as one word: before the main verb, or with する, だ, or の and a noun.
Where you'll meet it: Mostly novels and essays. 持もちつ持もたれつ is the one people say every day, and 抜ぬきつ抜ぬかれつ and 追おいつ追おわれつ turn up most in sports reports.

The pairs you'll meet

行ゆきつ戻もどりつback and forth

考かんがえがまとまらず、部屋へやの中なかを行ゆきつ戻もどりつした。

Unable to get his thoughts straight, he paced back and forth across the room.

ゆきつ keeps the older reading of 行いく; いきつ is heard too. Also of a discussion that keeps doubling back.

持もちつ持もたれつgive and take

気きにしないで。お互たがい、持もちつ持もたれつだよ。

Don't worry about it. We help each other out.

Word for word, holding up and being held up.

抜ぬきつ抜ぬかれつpassing and being passed

先せん頭とうの二人ふたりは抜ぬきつ抜ぬかれつ、最さい後ごの坂さかに入はいった。

The two leaders kept passing each other as they went into the final climb.

追おいつ追おわれつchasing and being chased

試し合あいは追おいつ追おわれつの展てん開かいになった。

The game turned into a see-saw battle.

One side pulls ahead, then the other.

差さしつ差さされつfilling each other's cups

二人ふたりは差さしつ差さされつ、夜よる遅おそくまで飲のんだ。

The two of them drank late into the night, each filling the other's cup.

浮うきつ沈しずみつbobbing up and down

小こ舟ぶねは波なみ間まに浮うきつ沈しずみつ、沖おきへ流ながされていった。

The little boat bobbed up and down among the waves as it was carried out to sea.

ためつすがめつlooking it over from every side

彼かれは古ふるい茶ちゃ碗わんを手てに取とり、ためつすがめつ眺ながめた。

He picked up the old tea bowl and studied it from every side.

Two old verbs for looking hard at something. Usually written in kana.

Two more you may meet in writing: 押おしつ押おされつ (pushing and being pushed back) and 見みえつ隠かくれつ (in and out of sight).

New pairs aren't made

Any other two verbs take たり～たり, the living way to say "now this, now that".

Not said: ドアを開あけつ閉しめつした。

(I kept opening and shutting the door.)

開あけたり閉しめたりした.

Close neighbours

たり～たりするN5

With two opposites, back and forth or on and off. Everyday, and it works with any verbs.

駅えきの前まえを行いったり来きたりしました。

I walked back and forth in front of the station.

つつN2

After one verb, つつ is the written ながら: one person does two things at once.

資し料りょうを確かく認にんしつつ、報ほう告こく書しょをまとめた。

I put the report together while checking the materials.

Check yourself

1"I kept turning the TV on and off."

Choose an answer to see why.

2What kind of race was it?

最さい後ごまで抜ぬきつ抜ぬかれつのレースだった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

商しょう売ばいは持もちつ持もたれつで成なり立たっている。

Business runs on give and take.

両りょう軍ぐんは押おしつ押おされつの攻こう防ぼうを夜よるまで続つづけた。

The two armies pushed each other back and forth until nightfall.

山さん頂ちょうは雲くもの切きれ間まから見みえつ隠かくれつしていた。

The summit kept coming into view and vanishing again through the breaks in the cloud.