もがく

も

が

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Physical struggling or thrashing, often against a restraint or in pain.

彼かれは痛いたみでのたうち回まわり、もがき苦くるしんだ。

He writhed in pain, struggling in agony.

2

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

struggle; make desperate efforts

usually written using kana alone

Figurative use: trying frantically to overcome a difficult situation, often with limited success.

もがくUsage97%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 藻掻く and 踠く are rare and ateji.
踠もがくUsage2%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; not recommended for learners.
藻も搔がくUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not used in modern writing.
藻も掻がくUsage<1%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Rare ateji spelling; not recommended for learners.

あがく
あがく also means to struggle or flounder, but often implies a more frantic, last-ditch effort with a nuance of desperation and futility. もがく can be used for both physical and figurative struggling, while あがく is more commonly figurative.

The origin is uncertain. The kanji 藻掻く is ateji, using characters for 'algae' and 'scratch' purely for their sounds, not meaning.

to scratch