叩く・敲く|たたくtataku[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
叩く叩く（たたく） is the most common spelling, written with kanji and kana, and is the usual choice for learners.
敲く敲く（たたく） is a rarely used kanji-and-kana variant; you may encounter it in writing, but it is not the usual choice.
Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto strike; to hit; to beat; to knock; to pound; to bang; to slap; to spank; to tap; to pat; to clap (one's hands); to play (the drums)
- godan verb, transitive verbto attack; to bash; to criticize; to censure; to flame (on the Internet)
- godan verb, transitive verbto sound out (someone's views)
- godan verb, transitive verbto pound (meat or fish); to chop into small pieces
- godan verb, transitive verbto beat down the price
- godan verb, transitive verbto talk (big, bad, idly, etc.)as ...口を叩く
- godan verb, transitive verb, computingto call; to invoke (e.g. a function)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 叩く（たたく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 叩きます（たたきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 叩かない（たたかない） |
| polite (masen) | 叩きません（たたきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 叩かず・叩かぬ（たたかず・たたかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 叩いた（たたいた） |
| polite (mashita) | 叩きました（たたきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 叩かなかった（たたかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 叩きませんでした（たたきませんでした） |
| Te form | 叩いて（たたいて） |
| Potential | 叩ける（たたける） |
| Passive | 叩かれる（たたかれる） |
| Causative | 叩かせる（たたかせる） |
| Causative passive | 叩かせられる・叩かされる（たたかせられる・たたかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 叩けば（たたけば） |
| tara | 叩いたら（たたいたら） |
| Volitional | 叩こう（たたこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 叩きましょう（たたきましょう） |
| Imperative | 叩け（たたけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymぶつCasualColloquial: to hit or beat someone, as in 「頭をぶつ」; also used for delivering a speech. 「叩く」 is broader, covering knocking, clapping and criticizing.
- Synonym殴るなぐるNeutralTo hit hard with a fist or object; violent, mostly for hitting people, though 「壁を殴る」 works too. 「叩く」 can be light or heavy and also means to criticize.
- Synonymぶっ叩くぶったたくCasualCoarse colloquial for beating someone hard and repeatedly. 「叩く」 is neutral and can be light or heavy.
- Synonymぶん殴るぶんなぐるCasualCoarse colloquial intensifier of 「殴る」: to punch or beat someone hard, often in threats. 「叩く」 can be light or heavy and also covers knocking and criticizing.
- SynonymしばくCasualSlang with a Kansai flavor: to beat or whip someone; also slang for going out to eat or drink. In standard speech use 「叩く」 or 「殴る」.
- SynonymどやすCasualDialect-flavored slang: to beat someone, or to yell at them. Standard equivalents are 「殴る」 and 「怒鳴る」.
- SynonymどつくCasualKansai-flavored slang: to jab or poke someone hard, shoving as you strike. Standard speech uses 「突く」 or 「殴る」.
- Related殴打おうだWrittenWritten noun seen in news and legal contexts, as in 「殴打事件」. In everyday speech say 「殴る」.
- Related強打きょうだWrittenWritten noun for a heavy blow; in baseball, aggressive hitting. 「叩く」 is the everyday verb.
- RelatedぶつけるNeutralTo nail something on, or to bang a body part against something, as rain against a window. 「叩く」 stresses repeated striking.
- RelatedノックNeutralLoanword for knocking on a door; also baseball fungo practice and clicking a pen. 「叩く」 is the general verb for striking and can mean criticizing.
- Related一撃いちげきNeutralNoun for a single blow or attack. 「叩く」 usually suggests repeated striking and can also mean criticizing.
- Related殴りつけるなぐりつけるNeutralTo strike someone with full force; violent in nuance. 「叩く」 can be light or heavy and also covers knocking and patting.
- Relatedぶっ飛ばすぶっとばすCasualSlang: to knock someone flying or beat them to a pulp; also to drive at full speed. Often carries a threatening tone.
- Related折檻せっかんWrittenWritten word for punishing or severely beating someone as discipline, often at home. 「叩く」 is not limited to punishment and also covers knocking and criticizing.
- Related打擲ちょうちゃくWrittenLiterary, old-fashioned word for beating or thrashing someone. In daily speech say 「殴る」 or 「叩く」.
- RelatedどやしつけるCasualSlang: to beat someone hard or bawl them out. Standard equivalents are 「殴る」 and 「叱りつける」.
- Antonym撫でるなでるNeutralAntonym in force: to stroke or caress gently with the hand, the opposite of striking.
- Antonym優しく触るNeutralAntonym in force: to touch someone softly and gently, the opposite of striking.
Use 「叩く」 for knocking, patting, striking repeatedly, and criticizing. For hitting a person, everyday speech prefers 「殴る」, colloquially 「ぶつ」; for knocking on a door you can also say 「ノック」. The slangy forms (「ぶっ叩く」, 「ぶん殴る」, 「しばく」, 「どやす」, 「ド突く」, 「ぶっ飛ばす」) add force or dialect color. In writing or news, use nouns like 「殴打」; 「強打」, 「折檻」 and 「打擲」 are also written-style. 「一撃」 is a single blow; 「打ち付ける」 is for nailing or banging against something.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
