Common word› JLPT N3 › Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation 頷く · godan verb (-ku)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 頷うなず く 頷うなず かない Polite 頷うなず きます 頷うなず きません Past polite 頷うなず きました 頷うなず きませんでした Past 頷うなず いた 頷うなず かなかった Te-form 頷うなず いて 頷うなず かないで Desire 頷うなず きたい 頷うなず きたくない Potential 頷うなず ける 頷うなず けない Passive 頷うなず かれる 頷うなず かれない Causative 頷うなず かせる 頷うなず かせない Causative passive 頷うなず かせられる also 頷うなず かされる 頷うなず かせられない also 頷うなず かされない Volitional 頷うなず こう Polite volitional 頷うなず きましょう Imperative 頷うなず け 頷うなず くな Conditional 頷うなず けば 頷うなず かなければ Tara conditional 頷うなず いたら 頷うなず かなかったら
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 に 頷うなず く to nod to someone
He nodded to the teacher.
深ふか く 頷うなず く to nod deeply/firmly (showing strong agreement)
She nodded firmly in agreement with that opinion.
黙だま って 頷うなず く to nod silently without saying anything
He said nothing and just nodded silently.
Kanji 肯 agreement, consent, comply with 首 neck, counter for songs and poems 頭 head, counter for large animals Related words 頷く refers to the physical head motion itself, whereas 相槌を打つ focuses on giving verbal or gestural backchannel responses (which may include nodding) during conversation.
頷く is a quick nod showing agreement or understanding, while 会釈する is a slight bow used as a polite greeting or acknowledgment.
うなずく is a single, everyday verb for nodding, whereas 首を縦に振る is a more explicit, slightly formal phrase emphasizing the vertical head motion as a sign of agreement.
Written forms 頷く Usage 31% i Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
うなずく Usage 64%
Kana spelling; common in informal writing or when the kanji is considered difficult.
肯く Usage 4% i Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
rarely-used kanji form
うなづく Usage 1%
首肯く Usage <1% i Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
ateji (phonetic kanji usage) rarely-used kanji form
点頭く Usage <1% i Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.
ateji (phonetic kanji usage) rarely-used kanji form
Etymology The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 頷 is composed of 含 (contain, include) and 頁 (head, page), suggesting the idea of 'containing one's head' or bowing. The reading うなずく may be related to 項 (うな , nape of the neck) and 突く (つく , to thrust), but this is not firmly established.
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