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食ってかかる (くってかかる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

食くってかかる

く

っ

て

か

か

る

Meanings

1

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

lash out at; flare up at; fly at; turn on

Describes suddenly attacking someone verbally or physically in anger, often with aggressive words or actions. The target is marked with に.

彼かれは上じょう司しに食くってかかった。
He lashed out at his boss.
何なにも言いってないのに、急きゅうに食く

っ

て

かから

れ

た

。

I hadn't said anything, but suddenly they turned on me.

Written forms

食くってかかる
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
食くって掛かかる
Alternate kanji for かかる; less common.

Kanji

食eat, food
掛hang, suspend, depend

Similar words

噛かみつく
噛みつく literally means 'to bite' and is often used figuratively for verbal attacks, but 食ってかかる emphasizes a sudden, aggressive outburst rather than a sustained attack.
怒ど鳴なる
怒鳴る means 'to shout angrily', while 食ってかかる implies a more confrontational, attacking stance, not just loudness.

Etymology

Compound of 食って (te-form of 食う 'to eat') + かかる ('to attack, to start'). The use of 食う adds a rough, aggressive nuance, suggesting a sudden, biting attack.