ため息(いき)をつく

A common expression composed of ため息(いき) (a sigh) and つく (to emit, to let out). ため息(いき) can also be written as 溜(た)め息(いき) with kanji, but the hiragana spelling is more common. The verb つく here means "to emit" or "to give," the same つく used in 嘘(うそ)をつく (to tell a lie).

Usage

The sigh can be modified with adjectives: 深(ふか)いため息(いき) (a deep sigh), 大(おお)きなため息(いき) (a big sigh), 小(ちい)さなため息(いき) (a small sigh). The expression ため息(いき)が出(で)る (a sigh comes out) is also common and suggests the sigh is involuntary.

Common collocations

• 深(ふか)いため息(いき)をつく: to heave a deep sigh
• 大(おお)きなため息(いき): a big sigh
• 思(おも)わずため息(いき)をつく: to sigh involuntarily
• ため息(いき)が出(で)る: a sigh escapes one
• ため息(いき)交(ま)じりに: with a sigh mixed in

Similar words

• ため息(いき)が出(で)る: a sigh escapes — more involuntary; the sigh just comes out
• 息(いき)を吐(は)く: to exhale — neutral, physical breathing action without emotional connotation
• うんざりする: to be fed up — describes the feeling that often accompanies sighing, but without the physical action