楯突く・盾突く|たてつくtatetsuku[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
楯突く楯突く is the most common written form of this expression. It appears in Japanese writing, but beginners are advised to use 盾突く instead.
盾突く盾突く is less common than 楯突く but more common than the remaining variants. It is the recommended written form for beginners.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto defy; to disobey; to rebel against; to oppose; to resistあの人にたてつかない方がいいよ。↗You're better off not getting in his way!
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 楯突く（たてつく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 楯突きます（たてつきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 楯突かない（たてつかない） |
| polite (masen) | 楯突きません（たてつきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 楯突かず・楯突かぬ（たてつかず・たてつかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 楯突いた（たてついた） |
| polite (mashita) | 楯突きました（たてつきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 楯突かなかった（たてつかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 楯突きませんでした（たてつきませんでした） |
| Te form | 楯突いて（たてついて） |
| Potential | 楯突ける（たてつける） |
| Passive | 楯突かれる（たてつかれる） |
| Causative | 楯突かせる（たてつかせる） |
| Causative passive | 楯突かせられる・楯突かされる（たてつかせられる・たてつかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 楯突けば（たてつけば） |
| tara | 楯突いたら（たてついたら） |
| Volitional | 楯突こう（たてつこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 楯突きましょう（たてつきましょう） |
| Imperative | 楯突け（たてつけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym歯向かうはむかうNeutralRising against someone stronger than you, as in 「親に歯向かう」; very close to 「楯突く」 and carries hostility.
- Synonym反抗はんこうNeutralA noun for defiance, as in 「反抗期」; stresses an insubordinate attitude, while 「楯突く」 suggests talking back face to face.
- Synonym逆らうさからうNeutralThe most common everyday word for going against; takes a person, an order, or a trend as its object, as in 「流れに逆らう」; broad in scope.
- Synonym反するはんするNeutralBeing contrary to or violating something, as in 「規則に反する」; stresses failing to conform, not necessarily an act of open defiance.
- Synonym背くそむくNeutralGoing against or betraying, as in 「期待に背く」; stresses turning away from something, not necessarily defying someone to their face.
- Synonym抵抗ていこうNeutralResistance, also a feeling of reluctance or aversion, as in 「抵抗感」; need not involve defying someone face to face.
- Synonym立ち向かうたちむかうNeutralFacing an opponent or difficulty head-on, with a positive nuance; no sense of talking back to a superior.
- Synonym抗うあらがうWrittenWritten and elegant; it resists fate or overwhelming forces, as in 「運命に抗う」; not specifically about defying a superior.
- Synonym手向かうてむかうNeutralResisting or defying someone's power or orders, as in 「手向かえば容赦しない」; covers both fighting back and disobeying.
- Synonym抗するこうするWrittenWritten style for opposing, as in 「権力に抗する」; more formal than 「楯突く」.
- Synonym抗拒こうきょWrittenWritten and little used; in daily speech say 「抵抗する」 instead.
- Related抗戦こうせんWrittenWritten word for resistance; it centers on resisting in war, not on talking back to a superior.
- Related対抗たいこうNeutralRivalry or competition, as in 「対抗戦」; stresses contending with an opponent, whether or not the sides are evenly matched.
- Related敵対てきたいNeutralHostility, as in 「敵対勢力」; stresses two sides becoming enemies.
- Related闘争とうそうNeutralStruggle between sides, as in 「権力闘争」 or 「労働闘争」; mutual conflict, whereas 「楯突く」 is defiance aimed upward.
- Related挑むいどむNeutralChallenging an opponent or tackling a hard task, as in 「難題に挑む」; 「楯突く」 is defying a superior or authority.
- Related抗命こうめいWrittenWritten term for disobeying orders, mainly military or legal; not used for everyday talking back.
- Antonym従うしたがうNeutralTo obey and follow along — the opposite of 「楯突く」, which means working against one's superior.
- Antonym服従するNeutralTo obey orders — the opposite of the defiant, insubordinate 「楯突く」.
Use 「楯突く」 for defying or talking back to a superior or authority, as in 「上司に楯突く」. For everyday defiance the default is 「逆らう」, and 「歯向かう」 for rising against someone stronger. 「反抗」 names the attitude; 「背く」 and 「反する」 are about violating or falling short of something; 「抵抗」 and 「立ち向かう」 are resistance without the note of insubordination; 「抗う」「抗する」「抗拒」「抗命」「抗戦」 are written or formal; 「対抗」「敵対」「闘争」「挑む」 describe rivalry, hostility, struggle, or challenge rather than defiance of a superior.
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
