引き起こす

• Reading: ひきおこす
• Romaji: hikiokosu
• Kanji breakdown: 引 (hi/in) — pull, draw; 起 (oko/ki) — rise, cause
• Pronunciation: /çi.ki.o.ko.sɯ/

Meaning

To cause; to induce; to bring about; to provoke an event or situation, usually negative.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb combining 引く (to pull) and 起こす (to raise/cause). Primarily used for negative outcomes — accidents, problems, diseases, or social issues. Stronger and more specific than the general 起こす.

Examples

1. 不注意が大きな事故を引き起こした。 Carelessness caused a major accident.
2. ストレスはさまざまな病気を引き起こす原因になる。 Stress can trigger a variety of illnesses.
3. SNSの投稿が思わぬ騒動を引き起こしてしまった。 A social media post ended up causing an unexpected uproar.

Usage Guide

Context: news, medical, social issues, accidents

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Compound verb from 引く (to pull/draw) and 起こす (to cause/raise). The combination emphasises the chain of causation — pulling something into existence.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal