also: かづく
godan verb (-ku)
to be submerged up to the neck; to dive for shellfish or seaweed
Archaic verb describing wading or diving into water, often for gathering marine products. The first gloss refers to being in water up to the neck; the second to diving to collect things.
昔、海女は海にかずいて鮑を採った。
Long ago, female divers would dive into the sea to collect abalone.
川の浅瀬で、子供たちが首までかずいて遊んでいる。
In the shallows of the river, the children are playing while submerged up to their necks.
godan verb (-ku)
to force something underwater; to submerge something
Archaic transitive use: to push or hold something under the surface of water. Rare and mostly found in older texts.
漁師は網を水中にかずいて魚を捕らえた。
The fisherman forced the net underwater to catch fish.