Word
刺さる
Meaning in Englishstick into, be stuck
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
刺さる means to be pierced or lodged into something, or to strike a strong impression on someone; it is used both for literal penetration and for ideas or words that resonate or stick in the mind.
Main meanings
- Physical penetration or lodging into a surface or body by a pointed object
- Figurative impact: ideas, words, or experiences that strike, resonate, or leave a strong impression
- Memorability: something that sticks in memory or consciousness
How to use it
Used in casual and neutral contexts; physically, it describes a pointed object penetrating or sticking into flesh or a surface; figuratively, it describes something that resonates, hits home, or leaves a lasting impression, often in expressions like 心に刺さる; the verb is intransitive, with the affected thing as the subject and the instrument or cause as the implicit agent.
Variants and close terms
- 心に刺さる (kokoro ni sasaru) — resonates with the heart; romaji kokoro ni sasaru
- 心に響く (kokoro ni hibiku) — to resonate; romaji kokoro ni hibiku
- 針が刺さる (hari ga sasaru) — the needle sticks; romaji hari ga sasaru
Composition
- 刺: stab, pierce; core sense of penetration
- る: verb ending indicating the dictionary form of an intransitive godan verb
Word class
verb (五段動詞)