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けつまずく Japanese meaning | Kotomora

けつまずく

also: けつまづく

け

つ

ま

ず

く

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Physical stumbling or tripping over something, often with the foot catching on an obstacle.

石いしにけつまずいて転ころんだ。
I tripped over a stone and fell.

2

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

fail; suffer a setback

usually written using kana alone

Figurative use: to stumble in life or work, encounter an unexpected difficulty or failure.

彼かれは仕し事ごとでけつまずいて、しばらく落おち込こんでいた。
He stumbled at work and was down for a while.

Written forms

けつまずくUsage36%
Usually written in kana; the kanji spelling 蹴躓く is rare.
蹴けつまずくUsage64%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
蹴躓く
- けつまずく
  Rare kanji spelling; the word is normally written in kana.
- けつまづく
けつまづく

Kanji

蹴kick
躓stumble

Similar words

つまずく
つまずく is the more common word for both physical stumbling and figurative setbacks. けつまずく is a colloquial or emphatic variant with the same meanings.

Etymology

Compound of 蹴る (keru, 'to kick') and つまずく (tsumazuku, 'to stumble'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely emphasizes a stumbling motion where the foot kicks against something.