突っ込む
Meaning in Englishto plunge into, to stick into
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 突っ込む mean? A verb describing both literal insertion and figurative interruption or deep exploration of a topic; in everyday usage it often conveys pressing into a matter or interjecting during speech.
Main meanings
- Physical insertion or thrust into a space or object
- Interrupting or interjecting in a conversation
- Delving into a topic or issue, probing for details
- Confronting or challenging a statement with a pointed question
How to use it
Used across casual and neutral contexts to describe literal insertion or intrusion, as well as figurative diving into a discussion or issue; commonly appears in spoken Japanese, media reporting, and explanatory writing, and is transitive, taking either a direct object or a topic/issue as its target.
Variants and close terms
- 口を挟む (くちをはさむ, kuchi o hasamu) — to butt in
- 踏み込む (ふみこむ, fumikomu) — to step into, to push into
- 介入する (かいにゅうする, kainyū suru) — to intervene
Composition
- 突: to thrust, push forward
- 込: to enter, go into; in compounds indicates inward movement
Etymology
突 indicates a thrust or sudden push, 込 conveys entering or going into; together they form 突っ込む, with the っ (small tsu) causing gemination to produce the audible break in tsukkomu.
Word class
verb (godan)