Translation guide
The English word 'clutch' has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the main uses: grasping tightly, a critical situation, a vehicle's clutch pedal, and a small handbag. It also includes related expressions for 'clutching at straws'.
To hold something firmly, often out of fear, determination, or to prevent dropping.
To grip or clasp tightly in one's hand. Emphasizes the firmness of the hold.
彼女はハンドバッグを握りしめていた。
She was clutching her handbag.
To hold firmly. A more general phrase than 握りしめる.
彼は手すりをしっかり握った。
He clutched the handrail tightly.
To hold something close to one's body, often protectively. Implies clutching to one's chest.
子供はぬいぐるみを抱え込んで離さなかった。
The child clutched the stuffed animal and wouldn't let go.
To grab or seize. Can be used for a sudden clutching motion, but less about sustained holding.
彼は私の腕をつかんだ。
He clutched my arm.
Referring to a crucial moment, especially in sports or high-pressure scenarios.
Literally 'the one crucial time'. Used for a decisive moment when performance matters most.
彼はここ一番に強い選手だ。
He's a player who performs well in the clutch.
The last moment, a critical juncture. Often used in dramatic or desperate situations.
土壇場で彼は素晴らしいシュートを決めた。
He made an amazing shot in the clutch.
The decisive moment in a game or competition. Common in sports commentary.
The pedal in a manual transmission vehicle that disengages the engine from the wheels.
The loanword for 'clutch'. Used for the pedal and the mechanism.
クラッチを踏んでギアを変える。
Step on the clutch and change gears.
A small, strapless purse or bag, often used for formal occasions.
The common term for a clutch bag. Often shortened to just クラッチ in fashion contexts.
パーティーにはクラッチバッグを持っていく。
I'll take a clutch bag to the party.
A generic term for a hand-carried bag, but can refer to a clutch style. Less specific.
彼女は小さな手さげバッグを持っていた。
She was carrying a small clutch bag.
Trying any desperate measure when in a hopeless situation.
Literally 'feeling like clinging even to a straw'. The standard equivalent for 'clutching at straws'.
藁にもすがる思いで、その治療法を試した。
Clutching at straws, I tried that treatment.
Proverb: 'A drowning man will clutch at a straw.' Used to describe desperate actions.
彼がそんな怪しい話に乗るなんて、溺れる者は藁をもつかむだね。
Him buying into such a shady story is like a drowning man clutching at a straw.
The loanword クラッチ is only used for the mechanical clutch or the handbag. It is not used as a verb meaning 'to grasp'.
握りしめる implies a tighter, more emotional grip (clutching), while しっかり握る is simply holding firmly. Use 握りしめる when there's a sense of desperation or determination.
I made a mistake in the clutch.
Specifically the clutch pedal. More precise than just クラッチ.
クラッチペダルが重い。
The clutch pedal is stiff.