JLPT N3 · Verb

掻く (kaku)

掻く (かく, kaku) is a Japanese verb meaning “to scratch”. It is usually written in kana. It appears in JLPT N3 vocabulary lists and is marked as a common word in JMdict.

Reading: かく
Romaji: kaku
Word class: Godan verb (う-verb) ending in く
Level: JLPT N3 (unofficial)

Meaning

to scratch · godan verb, transitive · usually written in kana
to perspire · godan verb, transitive · usually written in kana
to shovel; to paddle · godan verb, transitive · usually written in kana

Example sentences

蚊に刺されたところをかいちゃだめだよ。はれちゃうから。

Don't scratch your mosquito bite. It'll get inflamed.

Tatoeba #186458

先生の言葉でメアリーは冷や汗をかいた。

The teacher's words put Mary in a cold sweat.

Tatoeba #141729

Sentences from the Tatoeba project, linked to this word in JMdict.

Conjugation of 掻く

Godan verb (う-verb) ending in く. Plain and polite forms below; try any other word in the Japanese verb conjugator.

Form	Japanese	Reading
Dictionary	掻く	かく kaku
Polite (~masu)	掻きます	かきます kakimasu
Negative	掻かない	かかない kakanai
Polite negative	掻きません	かきません kakimasen
Past	掻いた	かいた kaita
Polite past	掻きました	かきました kakimashita
Negative past	掻かなかった	かかなかった kakanakatta
Te-form	掻いて	かいて kaite
Potential	掻ける	かける kakeru
Passive	掻かれる	かかれる kakareru
Causative	掻かせる	かかせる kakaseru
Volitional	掻こう	かこう kakou
Imperative	掻け	かけ kake
Conditional (~ba)	掻けば	かけば kakeba

Kanji in 掻く

掻

scratch, rake, combソウ・か.く · 11 strokes

Related words

Other vocabulary sharing a kanji with 掻く.

掻き回すかきまわすto stir引っ掻くひっかくto scratch

Source: JMdict entry 1399970 (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0). Level: unofficial JLPT list – how levels are assigned.