引ひきこもり

ひ

き

こ

も

り

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

shut-in; hikikomori; person who withdraws from society

Refers to a person, typically a young adult, who stays at home and avoids social contact for an extended period. Often used in social and psychological contexts.

彼かれは高こう校こうを中ちゅう退たいしてからずっと引ひきこもりだ。
He has been a shut-in ever since he dropped out of high school.
引ひきこもりの若わか者ものを支し援えんする団だん体たいが増ふえている。
Organizations that support young hikikomori are increasing.

noun

social withdrawal; shunning other people

Describes the state or act of withdrawing from society, rather than the person. Can be used more generally for avoiding social interaction.

長ちょう期きの引ひきこもりは健けん康こうに悪あく影えい響きょうを及およぼす。
Long-term social withdrawal has a negative impact on health.
彼かれの引ひきこもりは、いじめが原げん因いんだった。
His withdrawal from society was caused by bullying.

See all 21 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が引ひきこもりになるfor someone to become a shut-in
彼かれは高こう校こうを中ちゅう退たいしてから引ひきこもりになった。
He became a shut-in after dropping out of high school.
引ひきこもりの生せい活かつa shut-in lifestyle
彼かの女じょは五ご年ねん間かん、引ひきこもりの生せい活かつを続つづけている。
She has continued a shut-in lifestyle for five years.
引ひきこもりから抜ぬけ出だすto break out of being a shut-in
カウンセリングを受うけて、少すこしずつ引ひきこもりから抜ぬけ出だした。
Through counseling, he gradually broke out of being a shut-in.

Kanji

引pull, tug, jerk
篭seclude oneself, cage, coop
籠basket, devote oneself, seclude oneself

Related words

不ふ登とう校こう sense 1
不登校 specifically means not attending school, usually said of children, while 引きこもり is broader and often describes adults who stay home and avoid society.
孤こ立りつN1sense 2
孤立 means being isolated or cut off from others emotionally or socially, whereas 引きこもり specifically implies physically staying shut in at home.
カウチポテト
引きこもり describes someone who withdraws from society and rarely leaves home, a more serious or clinical term, while カウチポテト is a lighthearted label for someone who lazily watches lots of TV.

Don't confuse with

ニート sense 1
ニート refers to a person not in education, employment, or training, while 引きこもり specifically emphasizes withdrawing from social contact and staying home, regardless of job status.
ニートN1
引きこもり describes someone who has withdrawn from social contact and rarely leaves home, while ニート focuses on economic status (not working/studying/training) regardless of social withdrawal.

Counted with

人にん
counter for people

Written forms

引ひきこもりUsage56%
Standard spelling; the most common written form.
ひきこもりUsage42%
Kana spelling; common in informal writing and when the kanji is not needed.
引ひき篭こもりUsage1%
Alternate kanji form using 篭; less common but seen.
引ひき籠こもりUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form with 籠.

Etymology

Compound of 引き (hiki, continuative form of 引く 'to pull') + こもり (komori, continuative form of 籠もる 'to shut oneself in'). Literally 'pulling in and shutting oneself in'.