ちぎる・千切るchigiru
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto tear to pieces; to tear to shreds; to tear up
- godan verb, transitive verbto pick (e.g. fruit); to pluck; to tear off
- suffix, godan verbto do ... heavily; to do ... heartily; to do ... vigorouslyafter the -masu stem of a verb
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | ちぎる |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | ちぎります |
| Negative (nai) | ちぎらない |
| polite (masen) | ちぎりません |
| classical zu / nu | ちぎらず・ちぎらぬ |
| Past (ta) | ちぎった |
| polite (mashita) | ちぎりました |
| Past negative (nakatta) | ちぎらなかった |
| polite (masen deshita) | ちぎりませんでした |
| Te form | ちぎって |
| Potential | ちぎれる |
| Passive | ちぎられる |
| Causative | ちぎらせる |
| Causative passive | ちぎらせられる・ちぎらされる |
| Conditional (ba) | ちぎれば |
| tara | ちぎったら |
| Volitional | ちぎろう |
| polite (mashou) | ちぎりましょう |
| Imperative | ちぎれ |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
糸がちぎれる
糸をちぎる
千切れる (intransitive) presents the tearing as happening to the thread (marked by が), while 千切る (transitive) presents it as an action performed on the thread (marked by を).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym引き裂くひきさくNeutralTo rip or tear something apart; also used figuratively for forcibly splitting up a couple. 「千切る」 focuses on tearing into small pieces.
- Synonym引きちぎるひきちぎるNeutralTo tear something in two with a hard pull; more forceful than 「千切る」, as in 「鎖を引きちぎる」.
- Related摘み取るつみとるNeutralTo pick or nip off with the fingers, as in 「芽を摘み取る」. 「千切る」 can also mean picking, but centers on tearing.
- Related剥ぐはぐNeutralTo peel off or strip away a surface layer. 「千切る」 is tearing into small pieces.
- Relatedむしり取るむしりとるNeutralTo pluck or tear something off forcibly, or to snatch it away, as in 「金をむしり取る」. 「千切る」 is tearing into pieces.
- Related引き剥がすひきはがすNeutralTo forcefully peel off something that is attached, as in 「ポスターを引き剥がす」. 「千切る」 is tearing to pieces.
- Related剥ぎ取るはぎとるNeutralTo strip or rip something off, or take it away; figuratively, to strip someone of power. 「千切る」 is tearing into small pieces.
- Related引っ剥ぐひっぱぐCasualColloquial: to yank something off or strip it away in one go. 「千切る」 is tearing into small pieces.
- Related引っぺがすひっぱがすCasualColloquial: to forcefully peel or tear something off. 「千切る」 is tearing into small pieces.
- Related毟るむしるNeutralTo pluck out hair or weeds, as in 「草をむしる」. 「千切る」 is tearing into pieces.
- Related引き剥ぐひきはぐNeutralTo forcibly peel or pull something off. 「千切る」 is tearing into pieces.
- Relatedひん剥くひんむくCasualColloquial, with a rough, violent feel: to strip something off in one go. 「千切る」 is tearing to pieces.
- Relatedもぎ取るもぎとるNeutralTo twist off or pick fruit, or to wrest something away, as in 「勝利をもぎ取る」. 「千切る」 centers on tearing off.
- AntonymつなぐNeutralAntonym on the separating-vs-connecting axis: to connect or tie things together.
- Antonym接ぐつぐNeutralAntonym on the breaking-vs-joining axis: to join or piece things together.
Use 「千切る」 for tearing into small pieces or tearing and picking off, as in 「パンを千切る」. For tearing off with force use 「引きちぎる」, for ripping apart 「引き裂く」, for peeling things off 「剥がす」, and for plucking hair or weeds 「むしる」. The antonyms 「繋ぐ」 and 「接ぐ」 mean to connect or join.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
See also
