How to say "poke" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'poke' as a light, repeated action, close to 'nudge' — poking someone with a finger to get their attention, for example. It is usually written with kana alone.
- かき回すかきまわすgodan verb, transitive verbFor 'poke', only in the sense of poking a fire. The word primarily means 'stir' or 'churn', and also 'disturb water'; for other kinds of poking it is not the word you want.
- 突くつくgodan verb, transitive verbCovers 'poke' in its broad sense, together with 'prod', 'push' and 'thrust'. It fits poking or prodding something with a finger or stick — closer to a push or thrust than to light, repeated jabbing.
Use 「つつく」 for light, repeated poking or nudging, 「突く」 for a general poke, prod or thrust, and 「かき回す」 only when 'poke' refers to a fire.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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