つま先立(さきだ)ち

つまさきだち
noun
standing on tiptoe
movement
1. standing on tiptoe; tiptoeing
The act or posture of raising oneself up on the tips of the toes, either to reach something high or to walk quietly.
つま先立(さきだ)ちで棚(たな)に手(て)を伸(の)ばす。
To reach for the shelf on tiptoe.
子(こ)どもがつま先立(さきだ)ちをして窓(まど)の外(そと)を覗(のぞ)いていた。
The child was standing on tiptoe, peeking out the window.
赤(あか)ちゃんを起(お)こさないように、つま先立(さきだ)ちで部屋(へや)を横切(よこぎ)った。
I tiptoed across the room so as not to wake the baby.

Literally "tip-of-toe standing," from つま先(さき) (tiptoe, toe tip) and 立(た)ち (standing). Used both for the physical action of raising oneself on tiptoe to reach something and for the quiet, careful walking associated with tiptoeing.

Often written in hiragana or mixed script (つま先立(さきだ)ち) rather than full kanji (爪先立(つまさきだ)ち). The verb form つま先立(さきだ)ちする is also common.

Common collocations

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 背伸(せの)び (stretching up on tiptoe)
Compare: 忍(しの)び足(あし) (stealthy footsteps)
general
Added 2026.4.23 21:24 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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