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引きつり (ひきつり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

引ひきつり

ひ

き

つ

り

Meanings

1

noun

scar; cicatrix

Refers to a visible scar left on the skin after a wound heals; often used in medical or descriptive contexts.

手しゅ術じゅつのあと、お腹なかに引ひきつりが残のこった。
After the surgery, a scar remained on my stomach.

2

noun

spasm; twitch; cramp

Describes an involuntary muscle contraction, twitch, or cramp; can be used for facial tics or muscle spasms.

緊きん張ちょうすると、まぶたに引ひきつりが出でる。
When I'm nervous, I get a twitch in my eyelid.
足あしに引ひきつりが起おこって、しばらく動うごけなかった。
I got a cramp in my leg and couldn't move for a while.

Written forms

引ひきつりUsage33%
Common kana-mixed spelling; the kanji 引 and okurigana きつり make the reading clear.
引ひき攣つりUsage67%
Uses the specific kanji 攣 for 'spasm/cramp'; less common but precise.
引ひき吊つり
Rare variant with 吊; may be seen in older texts.
引ひき攣つり
Abbreviated kanji form; rare.

Kanji

引pull, tug, jerk
攣crooked, bent
吊suspend, hang, wear (sword)

Similar words

傷きず跡あと
傷跡 is the more common word for 'scar' in everyday language; 引きつり emphasizes the puckered or contracted appearance of a scar.
痙けい攣れん
痙攣 is a medical term for convulsions or spasms, often more severe; 引きつり is a milder, more colloquial term for a twitch or cramp.

Etymology

Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'pull') + つり (tsuri, continuative form of 攣る 'cramp, have a spasm'). The literal meaning is 'pulling cramp', referring to the sensation of skin or muscle being pulled tight.