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Words Kanji Guides About

こまねく

also: こまぬく

こ

ま

ね

く

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

fold one's arms

usually written using kana alone

Literally crossing one's arms over the chest. Often used in the set phrase 手をこまねく.

彼かれは黙だまって手てをこまねいていた。
He silently folded his arms.

2

godan verb (-ku), transitive verb

stand by and do nothing; look on passively

usually written using kana alone

Idiomatic use in phrases like 手をこまねく or 腕をこまねく, meaning to watch without taking action when one should intervene.

See also: 手をこまねく · 腕をこまねく

困こまっている人ひとを見みても、手てをこまねいているだけだった。
Even when seeing someone in trouble, he just stood by with his arms folded.

Written forms

こまねくUsage62%
The word is usually written in kana. The kanji spelling 拱く exists but is rare.
拱くUsage19%
- こまねく
  Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.
- こまぬく
こまぬくUsage18%
Alternate reading; less common than こまねく.
拱こまねくUsage1%
search-only kanji form

Kanji

拱arch, fold arms

Similar words

腕うでを組くむ
腕を組む also means to fold one's arms, but it is a more common and neutral expression. 手をこまねく often carries the nuance of passive inaction.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. The kanji 拱 means to fold the hands in front, and the word may be related to こま (archaic word for 'this way') + ぬく (to pull), but this is speculative.