弾く

• Reading: はじく
• Romaji: hajiku
• Kanji breakdown: 弾 (dan/haji) — to flip, to repel, bullet
• Pronunciation: /ha.dʑi.kɯ/

Meaning

To flip; to snap; to flick. Describes a quick, sharp motion with the fingers or a spring-like action.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the く ending (弾いて, 弾いた, 弾きます). Note: the kanji 弾 is also read as ひく when meaning 'to play a stringed instrument.' As はじく, it specifically means flicking or snapping something away, such as flicking water off your hands or snapping a rubber band.

Examples

1. 指で水を弾いた。 I flicked the water off with my fingers.
2. そろばんを弾くのが得意です。 I'm good at using an abacus.
3. ゴムを弾いて遊んでいる。 They're playing around by snapping a rubber band.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, physical actions, play

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 弾 combines 弓 (bow) with 単 (single/simple), originally depicting the action of releasing a bowstring — a single sharp, elastic motion.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal