どく

also: のく

ど

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

どく · godan verb (-ku)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	どく	どかない
Polite	どきます	どきません
Past polite	どきました	どきませんでした
Past	どいた	どかなかった
Te-form	どいて	どかないで
Desire	どきたい	どきたくない
Potential	どける	どけない
Passive	どかれる	どかれない
Causative	どかせる	どかせない
Causative passive	どかせられるalso どかされる	どかせられないalso どかされない
Volitional	どこう
Polite volitional	どきましょう
Imperative	どけ	どくな
Conditional	どけば	どかなければ
Tara conditional	どいたら	どかなかったら

Pairs with退ける

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

step aside; move out of the way; make way

usually written using kana alone

Intransitive verb used when a person or thing moves aside so someone or something can pass. どく is the everyday reading; のく is also attested. This sense is usually written in kana.

すみません、少すこしどいてください。
Excuse me, please move aside a little.
ドアの前まえからのいてください。
Please move away from in front of the door.

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

resign; retire; quit; withdraw from a group

Only with reading のく

Restricted to the reading のく. Used for leaving a post, role, or group; it is more limited and formal-sounding than everyday 辞める.

父ちちは今年ことし、社しゃ長ちょうの座ざをのいた。
My father stepped down from the presidency this year.
彼かれは責せき任にんを取とって委い員いん会かいをのいた。
He took responsibility and left the committee.

See all 19 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉をどくto step aside from a place
道みちをどいてください。
Please step aside from the road.
〈事こと〉からのくto withdraw from (a post, group, etc.)
会かい長ちょうの職しょくからのいた。
He stepped down from the position of chairman.
〈人ひと〉にどいてもらうto get someone to move out of the way
通つう行こう人にんにどいてもらった。
I had the passerby move out of the way.

Kanji

退retreat, withdraw, retire

Transitive / intransitive

退どけるN2
退ける (どける) is the transitive act of moving something aside, while 退く (どく) is the intransitive act of a person or thing itself moving out of the way.
どかすN3
退く（どく）is the intransitive partner meaning 'to move oneself out of the way', while どかす is the transitive verb meaning 'to move something/someone else out of the way'.
退のけるN3
退く（どく）is intransitive, meaning to step aside oneself, while 退ける（のける）is transitive, meaning to move something else aside.

Related words

辞やめるN4sense 2
辞める is the everyday, general word for quitting a job or role, while 退く (のく) in its resign sense is narrower and sounds more formal, focusing on leaving a post or group.

Don't confuse with

退しりぞくN1
退く written しりぞく is a separate, more formal reading used for retreating or stepping down in writing, while 退く read どく/のく is the everyday word for physically moving out of the way.

Written forms

どくUsage73%
Preferred practical spelling for the common sense 'to move out of the way'; this sense is usually written in kana.
のくUsage27%
Kana spelling for the reading のく. It is useful for disambiguating the reading, though the resign or leave-position sense is often written with kanji.
退く
- どく
  Attested kanji spelling for どく, but the everyday 'step aside' use is commonly written in kana.
- のく
  Attested kanji spelling with the reading のく, especially relevant when leaving a position or withdrawing. The same kanji may have other readings in other entries.

Etymology

The readings are native Japanese verbs. The kanji 退 is conventionally associated with retreating or withdrawing, but the common 'move out of the way' sense is often written in kana; the detailed historical derivation is uncertain.