Word
駆けっこ
Meaning in English(foot) race
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
駆けっこ is a noun meaning a short-distance footrace, typically among children, emphasizing a quick burst of speed on foot in casual settings such as playgrounds or sports days.
Main meanings
- a quick on-foot race, usually short and informal
- a playful act of running fast, often heard in schoolyard contexts
- metaphorically, moving quickly through a task or situation in casual speech
How to use it
Used in casual conversation to describe a quick on-foot race, especially among children or in play; not suitable for formal writing; typically paired with verbs like する to indicate performing the action. Contexts include playgrounds, schoolyards, and neighborhood games.
Variants and close terms
- ダッシュ (dasshu) — dash
- 走り競走 (はしりきょうそう, hashiri-kyousou) — running race
- 徒競走 (ときょうそう, tokyousou) — schoolyard foot race
Composition
- 駆ける + っこ
- 駆 = to gallop, run quickly
- けっこ = casual noun-forming element; together form a noun describing a quick running contest; the っ indicates a brisk action
Etymology
Origin 駆ける meaning to run, with the suffix っこ forming a casual noun that denotes a small, quick action; phonetic shaping maintains the kake- sound from the verb stem.
Word class
noun (名詞)