The Meaning of hikkakaru [引っ掛かる] In Japanese

引っ掛かる
ひっかかる
Romaji: hikkakaru N4

What does 引っ掛かる mean?

Translation and Meaning

to get caught on, to be snagged, to become stuck; to be hindered or delayed by a snag; to be hung up on a point

Definition

What does 引っ掛かる mean? It describes the act of something catching or snagging on a surface, causing it to stop or slow, and it can also describe figurative obstacles or concerns that impede progress or smooth handling of a situation.

Type

verb (godan) (動詞/五段)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • physical snag: something becomes caught on a protrusion or obstacle, causing it to stop or hinder movement
  • obstacle or delay in a process or plan: a snag that slows or complicates progress
  • being hung up on a point or issue: fixating on a particular topic during a discussion

Composition

  • 引: to pull, draw toward; in this compound it contributes the sense of an action that leads to snagging
  • 掛: to hang, to be attached; when combined with かる, it conveys the notion of something being caught or snagged
  • っ: small tsu indicating a brief stop or gemination which visually cues the snag
  • る: verb ending forming the intransitive verb

Usage

Used in everyday Japanese to describe both physical tangling (物が引っ掛かる) and abstract hindrances (その点に引っ掛かる); common in spoken language; in formal writing people may use more precise terms for snag or obstruction; the phrase commonly takes に to indicate where the snag occurs and が for the subject that gets snagged.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a coat on a hook. you pull the coat (引く) and it gets snagged (掛かる) on the hook, with a sharp stop sound from the small っ—remember the pull then hook sequence to recall hikkakuru.

Variations

  • ひっかかる (hikkakaru) — same meaning in kana form
  • ひっかける (hikkakeru) — to hook or hang something (transitive)
  • 気にかかる (ki ni kakaru) — to be concerned about, on one’s mind
  • 外れる (hazureru) — to come off or be detached (antonym)
  • 離れる (hanareru) — to separate or move away (antonym)

Example Phrases

  • 朝の通勤で 靴紐が 引っ掛かる のに 気づき 慌てて 結んだ。
    asa no tsuukin de kutsuhimo ga hikkakaru noni kizuki awatete musunda.
    During the morning commute, the shoelace gets snagged, I notice it, and I hurried to tie it.
    Lista:
    • 朝の通勤で (asa no tsuukin de) – during the morning commute
    • 靴紐が (kutsuhimo ga) – the shoelace
    • 引っ掛かる (hikkakaru) – to get snagged
    • のに (noni) – although
    • 気づき (kizuki) – noticing
    • 慌てて (awatete) – in a hurry
    • 結んだ (musunda) – tied
    The verb for snagging is 「引っ掛かる」, used with 靴紐が to describe a snag in motion.
引っ掛かる