Japanese word

引っかかる

Pronunciation

Romajihikkakaru

Meaning

  • verbget caught

Example

魚が網に引っかかります。sakana ga ami ni hi kka ka ri ma su

A fish gets caught in a net.

Illustration for 引っかかる (get caught)

More examples

古い掃除機のコードが家具に引っかかっています。furu i sō ji ki no kō do ga ka gu ni hi kka ka tte i ma su

The old vacuum cleaner's cord is caught on the furniture.

Core concept

Something becomes caught on an obstacle or within a snare, so it cannot move freely.

Common phrases

  • 網に引っかかるami ni hi kka ka ru

    get caught in a net

  • 罠に引っかかるwana ni hi kka ka ru

    get caught in a trap

  • 渋滞に引っかかるjū tai ni hi kka ka ru

    get stuck in traffic

Similar words

掛かるkakaru: Something is caught on a hook, net, line, or similar object.
絡まるkaramaru: Something becomes tangled around another object and loses freedom of movement.
挟まるhasamaru: Something becomes wedged between objects or inside a narrow opening.

Definition in Japanese

物や生き物が、網や突起などに掛かって動けなくなる。mono ya i ki mono ga ami ya tok ki na do ni ka ka tte ugo ke na ku na ru

Word origin

引っかかる (hikkakaru, "get caught") is commonly analyzed as a shortened form of 引き掛かる (hikikakaru, "catch by pulling"), combining 引く (hiku, "pull") and 掛かる (kakaru, "hang or catch").

Usage tips

  • The particle が (ga) often marks the thing that gets caught, while に (ni) often marks the net, hook, or other object that catches it.

Other meanings

  • get stuckverb

Opposites

  • 通過するtsūkasurupass throughverb

Related words

  • 引っかかりhikkakarisnagnoun
  • 引っかけるhikkakeruhookverb

Word lists with this word