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.
つま先立ちで棚に手を伸ばす。
To reach for the shelf on tiptoe.
子どもがつま先立ちをして窓の外を覗いていた。
The child was standing on tiptoe, peeking out the window.
赤ちゃんを起こさないように、つま先立ちで部屋を横切った。
I tiptoed across the room so as not to wake the baby.
Literally "tip-of-toe standing," from つま先 (tiptoe, toe tip) and 立ち (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 (つま先立ち) rather than full kanji (爪先立ち). The verb form つま先立ちする is also common.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- つま先立ちで歩く: to walk on tiptoe
- つま先立ちをする: to stand on tiptoe
- つま先立ちで覗く: to peek on tiptoe
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 背伸び: stretching up on tiptoe — often implies straining beyond one's natural ability
- 忍び足: stealthy footsteps — walking quietly, with a nuance of secrecy