あがく

あ

が

く

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

あがく · godan verb (-ku)

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

paw at the ground; scrabble

usually written using kana alone

Describes an animal, especially a horse, scraping or pawing at the ground with its hooves.

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

flounder; thrash about; struggle physically

usually written using kana alone

Used when a person or animal moves their limbs wildly, often in water or when trapped.

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

struggle; strive; make desperate efforts

usually written using kana alone

Figurative use: trying hard to get out of a difficult situation, often with a sense of desperation.

〈動どう物ぶつ〉が地じ面めんを足あ掻がくfor an animal (esp. a horse) to paw at the ground
馬うまが興こう奮ふんして地じ面めんを足あ掻がいた。
The horse pawed at the ground in excitement.
〈場ば所しょ〉で足あ掻がくto thrash about (in water, mud, etc.)
泳およげない彼かれは川かわの中なかで足あ掻がいた。
Unable to swim, he thrashed about in the river.
〈事こと〉から逃のがれようと足あ掻がくto struggle desperately to escape from something
彼かれは借しゃっ金きんから逃のがれようと足あ掻がいていた。
He was struggling desperately to get out of debt.
必ひっ死しに足あ掻がくto struggle frantically
沈しずみかけた船ふねで人ひと々びとは必ひっ死しに足あ掻がいた。
The people on the sinking ship struggled frantically.

もがくN1
もがく usually implies more violent, all-out physical thrashing (as if drowning), while 足掻く can describe milder physical struggling or a purely figurative struggle against circumstances.
じたばた sense 3
じたばたする is a colloquial word for flailing or fussing anxiously, while 足掻く carries a more literary, desperate tone and is often used about struggling against fate or a hopeless situation.
奮ふん闘とうN2sense 3
奮闘する describes a determined, often successful fight or effort, whereas 足掻く stresses futile or desperate struggling with little hope of success.
抵てい抗こうN3sense 3
抵抗する means to resist an opposing force directly, while 足掻く focuses on thrashing or struggling helplessly rather than actively pushing back.

あがくUsage81%
Usually written in kana. The kanji form 足掻く is also used but less common.
足あ搔がくUsage15%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; 搔 is an older variant of 掻.
足あ掻がくUsage4%
Kanji form; 掻 is not a jōyō kanji, so kana is more common.

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the old verb あがく meaning 'to open one's mouth' or 'to gasp', but the connection is not clear.