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八つ当たり (やつあたり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
venting anger on someone/something ; taking out frustration on an innocent party
Describes the act of directing anger or frustration at a person or thing that is not the real cause, often after a bad experience. Commonly used with する.
が
たまる
と
、
つい
八や
つ
当あ
たり
し
て
しまう
。
When stress builds up, I end up venting my anger on others.
Written forms 八や つ 当あ たり Usage 86%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
やつあたり Usage 7%
八や つ 当あた り Usage 6%
Variant with simplified 当り.
やつ 当あ たり Usage 2%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form mixing kana and kanji.
Kanji 八 eight, eight radical (no. 12) Similar words 当あ たる 八つ当たり literally means 'hitting eight (directions)', implying lashing out indiscriminately. 当たる is the base verb meaning 'to hit' or 'to strike'.
逆さか 恨うら み 逆恨み is bearing a grudge against someone who has not wronged you, while 八つ当たり is the act of venting anger on an unrelated target, often impulsively.
Etymology From 八つ (yatsu, 'eight', here meaning 'in all directions') + 当たり (atari, 'hitting'). The image is of striking out in every direction, i.e., lashing out indiscriminately.
