ひしめく
ひしめく
verb (godan)
to crowd together
1.
to crowd together
to jostle; to be packed closely together; to crowd and push against each other
人々がひしめいている。
People are crowded together.
繁華街には店がひしめき合っている。
Shops are packed closely together in the downtown area.
満員電車の中で乗客がひしめき合っていた。
Passengers were packed tightly together in the crowded train.
ひしめく is an intransitive godan verb describing a state of being densely crowded or packed together, often with a sense of jostling or pressing against each other.
TRANSITIVITY: Intransitive (自動詞).
COMMON FORMS:
- ひしめく: Basic form
- ひしめき合う: Emphasizes mutual crowding (people/things pressing against each other)
- ひしめいている: Describes a current state of being crowded
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人がひしめく (people crowd together)
- 店がひしめく (shops are packed closely)
- ひしめき合う (to jostle, crowd together)
USAGE NOTES:
- Often used to describe crowded urban areas, busy markets, or packed trains
- The kanji 犇く exists but is rarely used; hiragana is standard
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 込み合う: To be crowded (more neutral)
- ごった返す: To be packed/bustling
- ひしめく: Emphasizes physical closeness and pressing
REGISTER: Neutral to slightly literary.