English–Japanese

“wriggle” in Japanese

Japanese

Pronunciation

Romajimogaku

Example

魚が網の中でもがきます。sakana ga ami no naka de mo ga ki ma su

The fish wriggles in the net.

Illustration for もがく (wriggle)

How to say “wriggle” in Japanese

“Wriggle” in Japanese is もがく (mogaku).

Expresses forceful, repeated movement made while trying to break free from restraint or push through difficulty.

Full entry for もがく: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with もがく

逃げようとして、彼は水の中でもがきました。ni ge yō to shi te kare wa mizu no naka de mo ga ki ma shi ta

He struggled in the water as he tried to escape.

Tips for using もがく

  • Unlike a neutral movement verb, もがく (mogaku) often implies that the movement is driven by a strong attempt to get free or make progress.

“wriggle” in other languages