虚きょを突つかれる

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

be caught off guard; be caught unprepared

Passive expression meaning one's weak point or unguarded moment is exploited, leading to surprise or disadvantage.

相あい手ての鋭するどい質しつ問もんに虚きょを突つかれて、何なにも答こたえられなかった。
I was caught off guard by the opponent's sharp question and couldn't answer anything.
不ふ意い

の

出で

来き

事ごと

に

虚きょ

を

突つ

か

れ

た

。

I was caught unprepared by the unexpected event.

Written forms

虚きょを突つかれる
Standard kanji spelling using 突く.
虚きょをつかれる
Kana spelling of the verb part; common in everyday writing.
虚きょを衝つかれる
Alternate kanji 衝く, less common but attested.

Kanji

虚void, emptiness, unpreparedness
突stab, protruding, thrust
衝collide, brunt, highway

Similar words

虚きょを突つく
Active form meaning 'to catch someone off guard' or 'to exploit a weak point'; 虚を突かれる is its passive counterpart.
不ふ意いを突つかれる
Similar meaning 'to be taken by surprise', but 不意 emphasizes suddenness, while 虚 focuses on an unguarded moment or weak point.

Etymology

Phrase composed of 虚 (kyo, 'emptiness' or 'unguarded point') + を + passive form of 突く (tsuku, 'to thrust' or 'to strike'). Literally 'to be struck at one's weak point'.