もがく・藻掻く・踠くmogaku
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Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto struggle; to writhe; to wriggle; to squirm
- godan verb, intransitive verbto act frantically; to make desperate efforts
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | もがく |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | もがきます |
| Negative (nai) | もがかない |
| polite (masen) | もがきません |
| classical zu / nu | もがかず・もがかぬ |
| Past (ta) | もがいた |
| polite (mashita) | もがきました |
| Past negative (nakatta) | もがかなかった |
| polite (masen deshita) | もがきませんでした |
| Te form | もがいて |
| Potential | もがける |
| Passive | もがかれる |
| Causative | もがかせる |
| Causative passive | もがかせられる・もがかされる |
| Conditional (ba) | もがけば |
| tara | もがいたら |
| Volitional | もがこう |
| polite (mashou) | もがきましょう |
| Imperative | もがけ |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymあがくNeutralOriginally of horses pawing the ground; also for thrashing with the limbs and striving to escape a predicament — in those two senses largely interchangeable with 「藻掻く」.
- SynonymじたばたするCasualThe verb form of ジタバタ: flailing about and frantic fussing; 「藻掻く」 stresses struggling to break free. Colloquial.
- RelatedジタバタCasualMimetic word for kicking and flailing in a panic; 「藻掻く」 stresses desperate struggling. Colloquial.
Use 「藻掻く」 for writhing in struggle or desperate efforts to escape a predicament, as in 「水中でもがく」. 「足掻く」 is close in use and also covers a horse pawing the ground; for panicky flailing, say 「ジタバタする」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
English equivalents
