かじりつく
かじりつく
verb (godan)
to bite into; to cling to tenaciously
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | かじりつく | かじりつかない |
| Present polite | かじりつきます | かじりつきません |
| Past | かじりついた | かじりつかなかった |
| Past polite | かじりつきました | かじりつきませんでした |
| て form | かじりついて | かじりつかなくて |
| ている present | かじりついている | かじりついていない |
| ている polite | かじりついています | かじりついていません |
| ている past | かじりついていた | かじりついていなかった |
| ている past polite | かじりついていました | かじりついていませんでした |
| Conditional ば | かじりつけば | かじりつかなければ |
| Conditional たら | かじりついたら | かじりつかなかったら |
| Volitional | かじりつこう | — |
| Volitional polite | かじりつきましょう | — |
| Potential | かじりつける | かじりつけない |
| Passive | かじりつかれる | かじりつかれない |
| Causative | かじりつかせる | かじりつかせない |
| Imperative | かじりつけ | かじりつくな |
1.
to bite into; to sink one's teeth into
To bite down hard on something, gripping it with the teeth. Used for physically biting into food or objects.
2.
to cling to; to stick with tenaciously
To hold on to something with determination and refuse to let go. Used figuratively for clinging stubbornly to a task, goal, or opportunity.
A compound verb formed from かじる (to bite, to gnaw) and つく (to attach, to stick). The つく element adds the nuance of clinging or holding fast.
Common collocations
- りんごにかじりつく: to bite into an apple
- 骨にかじりつく: to gnaw on a bone
- 仕事にかじりつく: to throw oneself into work
- 最後までかじりつく: to hang on until the end
Similar words
- かじる: to bite; to gnaw — the base verb, without the sense of clinging
- しがみつく: to cling to; to hold on desperately — emphasizes desperation more than tenacity
- 食らいつく: to bite at; to attack fiercely — more aggressive, often used in competition
Usage
Sense 2 is often used to describe someone who perseveres through difficulty. It carries a positive nuance of determination rather than stubbornness.