巣くう・巣食う|すくうsukuu[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
巣食う巣食う is the most common of these written forms. It is a mixed kanji-and-kana spelling using ateji, so you may encounter it in written Japanese.
巣くう巣くう is less common than 巣食う but more common than 巣喰う. For beginners, it is the preferred form to use.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto build a nest; to nest
- godan verb, intransitive verbto hang out (of a bad group); to be based (in); to haunt
- godan verb, intransitive verbto lodge (in one's mind; of an evil thought, delusion, etc.); to be planted; to luck (in one's heart)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 巣くう（すくう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 巣くいます（すくいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 巣くわない（すくわない） |
| polite (masen) | 巣くいません（すくいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 巣くわず・巣くわぬ（すくわず・すくわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 巣くった（すくった） |
| polite (mashita) | 巣くいました（すくいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 巣くわなかった（すくわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 巣くいませんでした（すくいませんでした） |
| Te form | 巣くって（すくって） |
| Potential | 巣くえる（すくえる） |
| Passive | 巣くわれる（すくわれる） |
| Causative | 巣くわせる（すくわせる） |
| Causative passive | 巣くわせられる・巣くわされる（すくわせられる・すくわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 巣くえば（すくえば） |
| tara | 巣くったら（すくったら） |
| Volitional | 巣くおう（すくおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 巣くいましょう（すくいましょう） |
| Imperative | 巣くえ（すくえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym営巣えいそうNeutralSino-Japanese word for animals building nests, mostly in biology; neutral in tone. Unlike 「巣食う」, it has no figurative use for villains or dark thoughts.
- Related就巣しゅうそうWrittenWritten, formal biology term for a bird settling on its nest to brood its eggs and young. Narrow in scope, with none of the broader senses of 「巣食う」.
- Related巣籠るすごもるNeutralNeutral verb for birds or animals staying in the nest to brood and raise their young. Also used figuratively for shutting yourself up at home, as in 「巣ごもり」.
For animals building nests, use 「営巣」 or 「巣を作る」. For bad groups holed up somewhere, or illness and evil thoughts lodged in the mind, 「巣食う」 is the usual choice, as in 「心に巣食う不安」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
