noun
stroke; arm stroke
Used in swimming contexts to refer to a single arm movement or a swimming stroke.
彼は力強い掻きで泳いだ。
He swam with powerful strokes.
prefix
emphatic prefix
Prefix that adds strength or emphasis to verbs. Often seen in words like 掻き回す (stir up) or 掻き集める (scrape together). Related to the prefix かっ.
See also: かっ
彼は鍋の中を掻き回した。
He stirred up the contents of the pot.
Also an emphatic prefix, often used before k-, s-, t-, and p- sounds, as in かっ飛ばす (knock out of the park). 掻き is used before other sounds.
Derived from the verb 掻く (かく, to scratch, paddle). The prefix use developed from the verb's meaning of 'scraping' or 'stirring' to add intensity.