追(お)いかけっこ

おいかけっこ

noun

game of tag; game of chase

1. game of tag; game of chase

A children's chasing game, or any reciprocal chasing activity. Formed from 追(お)いかける (to chase) + the suffix っこ that turns the verb into a playful reciprocal action.

公園(こうえん)で追(お)いかけっこをした。

We played tag in the park.

子犬(こいぬ)と追(お)いかけっこをして遊(あそ)んだ。

I played chase with the puppy.

兄弟(きょうだい)二人(ふたり)は庭(にわ)を走(はし)り回(まわ)って追(お)いかけっこをしている。

The two siblings are running around the yard playing tag.

Verb + っこ is a productive pattern forming reciprocal/competitive activity nouns (にらめっこ staring contest, 取(と)りっこ tug-of-war for an item, etc.). Has a childlike, casual feel.

Common collocations

追(お)いかけっこをする: to play tag
追(お)いかけっこをして遊(あそ)ぶ: to play chase

Usage

Can describe a back-and-forth competitive situation: 売上(うりあげ)の追(お)いかけっこ (a sales race between competitors), 首位(しゅい)争(あらそ)いの追(お)いかけっこ (a race for first place).

Similar words

鬼(おに)ごっこ: tag (with a designated 'it'/鬼(おに)) — a specific named version of 追(お)いかけっこ

Related Words

Compare: 鬼(おに)ごっこ (tag)

general

Added 2026.6.2 13:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

28500/28599_oikakekko