掴む

• Reading: つかむ
• Romaji: tsukamu
• Kanji breakdown: 掴 (kaku/tsuka) — grasp, seize, grab
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ka.mɯ/

Meaning

To seize; to catch; to grasp; to grab hold of.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the む row (掴まない, 掴みます). Used both physically (手を掴む, to grab a hand) and figuratively (チャンスを掴む, to seize an opportunity; コツを掴む, to get the knack). Often written in hiragana (つかむ) in casual writing since 掴 is not a jōyō kanji.

Examples

1. チャンスを掴むために毎日練習している。 I practice every day to seize my chance.
2. 子供が母親の手をしっかり掴んだ。 The child grabbed their mother's hand tightly.
3. やっとコツを掴んで上手にできるようになった。 I finally got the hang of it and can do it well now.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, sports, motivation

Tone: dynamic

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 掴 combines 扌 (hand radical) and 國 (an enclosure), suggesting something enclosed firmly in the hand.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal