ぐっとくる
Meaning: To be deeply touched, to get choked up — something tugs at your heartstrings and stirs emotion.
ぐっとくる combines the onomatopoeia ぐっと (a tight, pressing sensation in the chest or throat) with くる (to come, to hit you). It describes the moment when emotion wells up — a lump in your throat, tears forming, a wave of sentimentality. Unlike more dramatic expressions, ぐっとくる is warm and sincere, used across all ages to describe genuine emotional moments in movies, songs, speeches, and everyday life.
Examples
- 卒業式で先生の言葉にぐっときた。 毕业典礼上被老师的话深深打动了。Las palabras del profesor en la graduación me llegaron al alma.졸업식에서 선생님의 말씀에 뭉클했어.
- この曲のサビがぐっとくるんだよね。 这首歌的副歌部分真的很戳人。El estribillo de esta canción te llega de verdad.이 노래 후렴이 뭉클하게 오더라.
- 子どもからの手紙にぐっときて泣きそうになった。 收到孩子的信,鼻子一酸差点哭了。La carta de mi hijo me emocionó tanto que casi me pongo a llorar.아이가 쓴 편지에 뭉클해서 울 뻔했어.
Pronunciation
/gɯt.to kɯ.ɾɯ/
Usage Guide
Context: daily conversation, reviews, social media
Tone: moved, sentimental
✓ Do Say
- あの映画のラスト、ぐっときた。 (The ending of that movie really got to me.)那部电影的结尾,真的被打动了。El final de esa película me llegó mucho.그 영화 라스트, 뭉클했어. (영화 결말에 가슴이 벅찼다는 뜻)
- 親の手紙読んでぐっときちゃった。 (I read my parents' letter and got all choked up.)读了爸妈的信,鼻子一酸。Leí la carta de mis padres y se me hizo un nudo en la garganta.부모님 편지 읽고 뭉클해져 버렸어. (부모님의 편지에 감동받아 목이 메었다는 뜻)
✗ Don't Say
- ネガティブな感情に「ぐっとくる」は使わない (Don't use 'gutto kuru' for negative emotions like anger or disgust — it is for being positively moved)不要把'ぐっとくる'用于负面情绪——它是用来形容被正面地触动,不是用于愤怒或厌恶No uses «gutto kuru» para emociones negativas como la ira o el asco — es para cuando algo te conmueve positivamente.부정적인 감정에 'ぐっとくる'는 쓰지 않는다 (분노나 혐오에는 사용하지 않는다 — 긍정적으로 감동받았을 때 쓰는 표현이다)
Common Mistakes
- Using ぐっとくる for sadness alone — it implies being touched or moved, not merely sad
- Confusing ぐっとくる with ぐっとする, which can mean to hold back or endure
Origin & History
ぐっと (onomatopoeia for a tight sensation in chest/throat) + くる (to come/hit you). A classic emotional expression used across all generations to describe being moved.
Cultural Context
Era: Long-standing expression, timeless
Generation: All ages, universally understood and used
Social background: Universal, slightly warm and sincere tone
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. ぐっとくる appears frequently in film and music reviews, making it an essential phrase for discussing emotional media. It carries no regional bias and is understood by all generations.
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