Japanese Conversation · Level 128
60 words
Japanese word
這う
Pronunciation
Romajihau
Meaning
- verbcrawl
Example
赤ちゃんが床を這います。aka cha n ga yuka o ha i ma su
The baby crawls on the floor.
More examples
毛虫が葉の上を這います。ke mushi ga ha no ue o ha i ma su
A caterpillar crawls along a leaf.
Core concept
Describes moving with the body kept close to the ground rather than walking upright.
Common phrases
地面を這うji men o ha u
crawl along the ground
床を這うyuka o ha u
crawl on the floor
腹ばいで這うhara ba i de ha u
crawl on one's stomach
Similar words
這いずるhaizuru: To move slowly along a surface while dragging the body close to the ground.
Definition in Japanese
手足を使い、体を低くして地面や床などを進む。te ashi o tsuka i karada o hiku ku shi te ji men ya yuka na do o susu mu
Word origin
這う (hau) is a native Japanese verb whose older form はふ (hafu) already meant "to crawl"; はう (hau) is the modern form.
Usage tips
- In Japanese, 這う (hau) applies to snakes and insects as well as babies, because it describes low movement along a surface.
Other meanings
- creepverb
Related words
- 這い這いhaihaicrawlingnoun