つっつく

つ

っ

つ

く

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

poke repeatedly; nudge; prod

usually written using kana alone

Light, repeated poking or prodding, often with a finger or an object. Can be physical or figurative.

See also: 突く (つつく)

彼かれは私わたしの肩かたをつっついて注ちゅう意いを引ひいた。
He poked my shoulder to get my attention.

猫ねこが箱はこの中なかをつっついている。

The cat is poking around inside the box.

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

peck at food; pick at

usually written using kana alone

Eating in a desultory manner, without appetite or interest, like a bird pecking at food.

彼かの女じょはサラダをつっつくだけで、ほとんど食たべなかった。
She just picked at her salad and barely ate anything.

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

pick at faults; nitpick

usually written using kana alone

To repeatedly point out small faults or mistakes in a nagging or critical way.

上じょう司しは報ほう告こく書しょの細こまかいミスをつっついた。
The boss nitpicked the small mistakes in the report.

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

egg on; prod into action

usually written using kana alone

To urge or provoke someone into doing something, often by persistent prodding or teasing.

友とも達だちにつっつかれて、カラオケで歌うたうことになった。
My friends egged me on, so I ended up singing at karaoke.

Written forms

つっつくUsage46%
Usually written in kana. The kanji forms 突っ突く and 突っつく exist but are less common.
突つっつくUsage51%
Mixed kanji-kana form; rarely used.
突つっ突つくUsage3%
Kanji form using 突 for both parts; rarely used.

Kanji

突stab, protruding, thrust

Similar words

突つつく
つつく is a single, often sharper poke or prod, while つっつく implies repeated, lighter poking or persistent prodding.

Etymology

Derived from 突く (つつく, 'to poke') with an inserted geminate consonant っ, adding a sense of repetition or lightness. The exact historical development is uncertain.