Meaning and Usage
The verb 傷付く (きずつく) primarily means "to be hurt" or "to be wounded," and it can refer to both physical injuries and emotional pain. It is often used to describe someone getting hurt physically, such as in accidents or sports, but it is also frequently used metaphorically to express emotional hurt caused by words or actions.
Common Contexts
- Physical injury: Describing wounds or injuries to the body.
- Emotional pain: Expressing feelings of being hurt emotionally or psychologically.
Collocations and Patterns
- 傷付く + body part (e.g., 足を傷付く): to get injured on a specific body part.
- 言葉に傷付く: to be hurt by words.
- 傷付いた心: a wounded heart, often used in emotional contexts.
Register and Nuance
傷付く is neutral in formality and can be used in both spoken and written Japanese. When referring to emotional hurt, it often conveys a deeper or more serious feeling than just being upset.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 傷付く with 傷つける (きずつける), which is the transitive form meaning "to hurt someone else." Remember, 傷付く is intransitive and means "to be hurt," while 傷つける means "to hurt (someone or something)."