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Kotomora

屈

yield, bend, flinch, submit

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • クツ

Kun'yomi

  • かが.む
  • かが.める

Nanori

  • くっ

Meaning

屈 centers on giving way under pressure: physically bending or crouching, or mentally yielding, flinching, or submitting to a force or authority.

Most common words using 屈

20 of 73
  • 退屈たいくつ
    N3

    tedious; boring; dull; uninteresting; tiresome; monotonous

  • 理屈りくつ
    N1

    theory; reason; logic

  • 屈指くっし

    leading; foremost; preeminent; outstanding; one of the best

  • 屈辱くつじょく

    disgrace; humiliation

  • 窮屈きゅうくつ
    N1

    narrow; tight; cramped

  • 屈強くっきょう

    robust; brawny; muscular; strong; sturdy

  • 屈服くっぷく

    yielding; submission; surrender; giving way; succumbing

  • 屈折くっせつ
    N1

    bending; curving; twisting; turning; winding

  • 不屈ふくつ

    persistence; fortitude; indomitability

  • 屈するくっする

    to yield; to give in; to be daunted; to shrink

  • 卑屈ひくつ

    servile; subservient; obsequious; slavish; self-abasing; grovelling; spineless

  • 屁理屈へりくつ

    sophism; chop logic; far-fetched argument; quibble; cavil; argument for argument's sake

  • 屈曲くっきょく

    crookedness; bending; indentation; curvature; flexion

  • 偏屈へんくつ

    narrow-minded; obstinate; stubborn; perverse; unreasonable; warped; bigoted; eccentric

  • 鬱屈うっくつ

    gloomy

  • 屈すくっす

    to yield; to give in; to be daunted; to shrink

  • 屈託くったく

    worry; care; concern

  • 屈むかがむ

    to stoop; to lean over; to bend forward

  • 屈伸くっしん

    bending and stretching; flexing and extending

  • 理屈っぽいりくつっぽい

    argumentative

Explore all words using 屈 →

Study

Etymology

屈 combines 尸 (a bent body or crouching person) with 出 (to go out), suggesting the idea of bending or yielding under pressure. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component combination fits the meaning well.

Meaning mnemonic

A person 尸 is forced to bend and go out 出 of the way, yielding to a stronger force. Picture someone crouching and flinching as they submit.

Reading mnemonic

For クツ, imagine bending down to put on your boots: boots -> クツ, and you have to bend and yield to get them on.