Kanji 追

音読おんよみ: ツイ

訓読くんよみ:

画数かくすう: 9

部首ぶしゅ: しんにょう(辶)

Meaning

Chase / Pursue / Follow

  • Basic forms
  • 追う — to chase; pursue / base form
  • 追います — (I) chase; pursue / masu form
  • 追った — chased; pursued / ta form
  • 追って — chase and … / te-form
  • 追わない — do not chase / negative form
  • 追えば — if (you) chase / conditional
  • 追え — chase! / imperative
  • Other common forms
  • 追いたい — want to chase / 〜たい form
  • 追える — can pursue; can chase / potential
  • 追えた — was able to chase / past potential
  • 追えない — cannot chase / negative potential
  • More
  • 夢を追う — to pursue a dream
  • 犯人を追った — chased the suspect
  • 責任を追われている — is being pressed with responsibility / progressive (passive nuance)

追う(おう) is a godan verb ending in う. Used both literally (to chase someone) and figuratively (to pursue goals, tasks, or responsibilities).

  • 追加ついか — addition, supplement
  • 追求ついきゅう — pursuit (of truth, ideals)
  • 追跡ついせき — tracking, pursuit
  • 追放ついほう — expulsion, exile
  • 追突ついとつ — rear-end collision
More examples - tap to expand
  • 追試ついし — makeup exam
  • 追憶ついおく — recollection, reminiscence
  • 追悼ついとう — mourning, tribute
  • 追随ついずい — following, emulation
Compound Verbs - tap to expand
  • く — to catch up with
  • す — to overtake; to pass
  • はらう — to drive away; to disperse

追 combines the 辶 (しんにょう: movement/running) radical with the phonetic ⻌ and ヨ (yo). It captures the idea of moving forward to follow or catch up with something or someone.

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