すがる

す

が

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

すがる · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	すがる	すがらない
Polite	すがります	すがりません
Past polite	すがりました	すがりませんでした
Past	すがった	すがらなかった
Te-form	すがって	すがらないで
Desire	すがりたい	すがりたくない
Potential	すがれる	すがれない
Passive	すがられる	すがられない
Causative	すがらせる	すがらせない
Causative passive	すがらせられるalso すがらされる	すがらせられないalso すがらされない
Volitional	すがろう
Polite volitional	すがりましょう
Imperative	すがれ	すがるな
Conditional	すがれば	すがらなければ
Tara conditional	すがったら	すがらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

cling to; hang onto

usually written using kana alone

Physically holding onto something or someone tightly, often out of desperation or for support.

子こどもは母はは親おやの腕うでにすがって離はなれなかった。
The child clung to his mother's arm and wouldn't let go.
彼かれは崖がけから落おちそうになり、ロープにすがった。
He almost fell off the cliff and clung to the rope.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

rely on; depend on

usually written using kana alone

Emotionally or practically leaning on someone or something for support, often with a sense of desperation or helplessness.

彼かれは困こまったとき、いつも友ゆう人じんにすがる。
When he's in trouble, he always relies on his friends.
彼かの女じょはわらにもすがる思おもいで、その情じょう報ほうを信しんじた。
She was so desperate that she clung to that information like a drowning person to a straw.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

implore; entreat

usually written using kana alone

Pleading with someone emotionally, often with a sense of desperation or clinging to them for help.

彼かれは助たすけてほしいと、泣なきながらすがった。
He implored her, crying, to help him.
母はは親おやは医い者しゃにすがるようにして、子こどもの命いのちを救すくってくださいと頼たのんだ。
The mother entreated the doctor, clinging to him, to save her child's life.

See all 46 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉にすがるto cling to / rely on someone
彼かの女じょは涙なみだながらに親しん友ゆうにすがった。
In tears, she clung to her best friend for support.
〈人ひと〉の袖そでにすがるto cling to someone's sleeve, begging for help
子こ供どもは母はは親おやの袖そでにすがって離はなさなかった。
The child clung to his mother's sleeve and wouldn't let go.
命いのち綱づなにすがるto cling to a lifeline
溺おぼれかけた男おとこは命いのち綱づなにすがって助たすけを待まった。
The drowning man clung to the lifeline and waited for help.
すがるように〈動どう詞し〉to (do something) as if clinging/pleading desperately
彼かれはすがるように私わたしの手てを握にぎった。
He grasped my hand as if clinging on for dear life.

Expressions

杖つえに縋すがるとも人ひとに縋すがるなlean on your cane, not on others

Kanji

縋cling, hang on, depend

Related words

頼たよるN3sense 2
頼る is a neutral, everyday word for relying on someone or something, while すがる implies a desperate, clinging dependence.
しがみつく sense 1
しがみつく stresses a forceful physical grip, whereas すがる can be physical or emotional and carries a sense of helpless desperation.
依い存ぞんN2sense 2
依存する is a formal, clinical term for dependence, while すがる conveys an emotional, desperate leaning on someone.
泣なき付つく sense 3
泣きつく specifically means to tearfully beg someone for help, a narrower and more emotional version of すがる's pleading sense.

Word family

すがりつく
cling to; hold onto desperately; depend on

Written forms

すがるUsage83%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 縋る is rare and may not be recognized by all readers.
縋すがるUsage17%
Kanji form is uncommon and mainly encountered in literary or older texts.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain, but it may be related to the classical verb すがる (to cling). The kanji 縋 is a rare, non-jōyō character used specifically for this word.