1.
to bite into, to sink one's teeth into
To bite and hold onto something firmly. Literal meaning used for animals or aggressive biting.
犬が骨に食らいついた。
The dog sank its teeth into the bone.
獲物に食らいつくライオン
a lion sinking its teeth into its prey
彼の腕に思い切り食らいついた。
I bit into his arm with all my might.
2.
to cling to, to pursue tenaciously, to stick with
To pursue something with determination and not give up. Figurative meaning emphasizing persistence.
チャンスに食らいつく
to seize an opportunity tenaciously
最後まで食らいついていこう。
Let's stick with it until the end.
強豪チームに食らいついて、善戦した。
They tenaciously kept up with the powerhouse team and put up a good fight.
TRANSITIVITY: Intransitive (自動詞). Takes に particle: ～に食らいつく.
CONJUGATION: Godan verb (ka-row): 食らいつかない, 食らいつきます, 食らいついて.
USAGE: The figurative sense (2) is very common in sports and competitive contexts, meaning to not give up against a stronger opponent.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- チャンス/勝利に食らいつく (to seize a chance/victory)
- 最後まで食らいつく (to stick with it to the end)
- 食らいついて離さない (to latch on and not let go)
RELATED WORDS:
- 噛みつく (to bite - more neutral)
- しがみつく (to cling to - more about holding on)
- 粘る (to persist, hang in there)