揉もみ合あう

も

み

あ

う

Meanings

1

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

jostle; push and shove; struggle with one another

Describes people pushing and shoving each other in a crowd or scuffle. Often used for physical jostling in a confined space.

満まん員いん電でん車しゃの中なかで乗じょう客きゃくが揉もみ合あっていた。
Passengers were jostling each other in the crowded train.
出で

口ぐち

で

人ひと

々びと

が

揉も

み

合あ

っ

て

、

なかなか

外そと

に

出で

られ

なかっ

た

。

People were pushing and shoving at the exit, and we couldn't get out easily.

Written forms

揉もみ合あうUsage21%
Standard kanji spelling.
もみ合あうUsage40%
Common variant with kana for the first character.
もみあうUsage31%
揉もみあうUsage8%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard spelling.

Kanji

合fit, suit, join
揉rub, massage, shampoo

Similar words

押おし合あう
押し合う focuses on pushing against each other, often in a more deliberate or forceful manner, while 揉み合う implies a more chaotic, jostling struggle.
もみくちゃ
もみくちゃ is a noun/adverb describing a state of being jostled or crushed in a crowd, often used in phrases like もみくちゃになる, whereas 揉み合う is the verb for the action itself.

Etymology

Compound of 揉む (もむ, 'to rub, knead, jostle') and 合う (あう, 'to do mutually'). The combination yields the meaning of jostling or struggling with one another.