引っ張る

• Reading: ひっぱる
• Romaji: hipparu
• Kanji breakdown: 引 (in/hi) — pull, draw
• Pronunciation: /hip.pa.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To pull; to drag; to stretch. The act of drawing something toward oneself or extending it forcefully.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. A more emphatic and colloquial version of 引く — the っ geminate adds intensity and physical effort. Also used figuratively: 引っ張りだこ (in high demand), 話を引っ張る (to drag out a story), 人材を引っ張る (to recruit talent). Very common in everyday speech.

Examples

1. 子供が母親の手を引っ張って公園に行きたがった。 The child pulled his mother's hand, wanting to go to the park.
2. ロープを力いっぱい引っ張ってください。 Please pull the rope with all your might.
3. 彼はいつも話を長く引っ張るからつまらない。 He always drags out his stories, so they're boring.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, physical actions, figurative speech

Tone: casual

Origin & History

Emphatic form of 引く (hiku, to pull). The っ張る (pparu) suffix intensifies the pulling action, suggesting greater force or effort than the base verb.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal