Prefix that intensifies the following verb, adding a sense of doing something single-mindedly, directly, or with full concentration. Common in words like ひたすら, ひた隠す, ひた走る.
He continued his efforts single-mindedly.
The culprit tried to hide it completely, but it was found immediately.
hitatare; ancient ceremonial court robe
performing without a mask
earnest apology; profuse apology
steadily; persistently; relentlessly
Kanji form is rare; the prefix is usually written in kana.
Standard kana spelling for this prefix.
The prefix ひた is of native Japanese origin, likely related to the idea of 'direct' or 'straight'. The exact derivation is uncertain.