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ひくつく Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ひくつく

ひ

く

つ

く

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

Describes a small, involuntary, repetitive muscle movement, often around the eye or mouth. Similar to ひくひく, but ひくつく can imply a slightly stronger or more persistent twitching.

See also: ひくひく

緊きん張ちょうでまぶたがひくついた。
My eyelid twitched from nervousness.
疲つか

れる

と

口くち

元もと

が

ひくつく

こと

が

ある

。

When I'm tired, the corner of my mouth sometimes twitches.

Written forms

ひくつくUsage88%
Standard hiragana spelling; no kanji form exists.
ヒクつくUsage12%
Katakana variant sometimes used for emphasis or in informal writing.

Similar words

ひくひく
Both describe twitching, but ひくひく is often used for lighter, more rapid fluttering movements, while ひくつく can suggest a slightly stronger or more persistent twitch.
ぴくぴく
ぴくぴく is a similar mimetic word for twitching, but with a sharper, more staccato feel. ひくつく is softer and often used for facial muscles.

Etymology

Likely a mimetic word derived from the sound-symbolic root ひく, which represents a small, pulling movement. The exact origin is uncertain.