人にからむ

• Reading: ひとにからむ
• Romaji: hito ni karamu
• Kanji breakdown: 人 (hito) — person; からむ is typically written in hiragana (kanji: 絡む — entangle)
• Pronunciation: /hi.to.ni.ka.ɾa.mɯ/

Meaning

To pick a quarrel with someone; to accost someone aggressively; to pester someone.

A verbal expression combining 人に (to a person) with からむ (to entwine/entangle). Describes the act of confronting or pestering someone in an aggressive, persistent way. Most commonly associated with drunk people bothering strangers. The passive form からまれる (to be accosted) is very common. からむ alone can mean to get involved or to be intertwined.

Examples

1. 酔っ払って人にからむのはやめてほしい。 I wish you'd stop getting drunk and picking fights with people.
2. あの人はお酒を飲むと知らない人にからむ。 That person picks fights with strangers whenever they drink.
3. 駅前で酔っ払いにからまれて怖い思いをした。 I got accosted by a drunk person in front of the station and it was scary.

Usage Guide

Context: nightlife, interpersonal conflict, complaints, daily life

Tone: negative

Origin & History

From native Japanese 人 (hito, person) + に (directional particle) + 絡む (karamu, to entangle/entwine). The metaphor extends physical entanglement to aggressive interpersonal engagement — getting tangled up with someone in a confrontational way.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal