Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
浮き足立つ (うきあしだつ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
godan verb (-tsu)
be poised to flee ; become restless ; get agitated
Describes a state of nervous readiness to escape, or general restlessness and agitation, often due to fear or anxiety. The image is of being on tiptoe, ready to run.
学がく
生せい
たち
は
浮う
き
足あし
立だ
っ
て
いる
。
The students are restless before the exam.
Written forms 浮う き 足あし 立だ つ
浮うき 足あし 立だ つ
Variant without okurigana き; less common but still used.
浮う き 足あし だつ
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; rarely seen.
Kanji 浮 floating, float, rise to surface 足 leg, foot, be sufficient Similar words 落お ち 着つ かない 落ち着かない is a general term for feeling unsettled or unable to relax, while 浮き足立つ specifically implies a readiness to flee or a skittish agitation.
そわそわ そわそわ describes fidgety restlessness, often from excitement or impatience, whereas 浮き足立つ carries a stronger nuance of fear-driven agitation and the urge to escape.
Etymology Compound of 浮き足 (ukiyashi, 'floating foot', i.e., being on tiptoe) + 立つ (tatsu, 'to stand'). The image is of standing on tiptoe, ready to run away, which extended to general restlessness and agitation.
