突きます（つきます、tsukimasu）
- to thrust

The Japanese verb 突きます (tsukimasu) generally means "to poke," "to stab," "to thrust," or "to prod." It implies a quick, often forceful action using a pointed object or a part of the body. The action involves making contact with something, often to pierce it or push into it. The specific meaning depends on the context. The base form is 突く (tsuku).

⚫︎ナイフでリンゴを突きます。 Translation: I stab the apple with a knife. ⚫︎指でボタンを突いて押しました。 Translation: I poked the button with my finger and pressed it. ⚫︎剣で敵を突く。 Translation: To stab the enemy with a sword.

This verb is used in a variety of situations where there's a pushing, poking, or stabbing motion. It is commonly used when describing actions involving pointed or sharp objects, but can also be used with body parts. It is important to consider the object being 突いて and the action's intent to understand the exact nuance. The level of politeness depends on the context. In formal situations, you would use the polite form 突きます.

The verb 突きます is written as 突きます using kanji, hiragana, and it is in the polite form. The base form 突く uses the kanji 突 and hiragana く. The okurigana (suffix hiragana) is く, and it does not have any variations. The masu-stem 突き is used to make other conjugations such as 突きます.

⚫︎ 刺す (sasu) - to stab, to pierce ⚫︎ 押す (osu) - to push ⚫︎ つつく (tsutsuku) - to peck, to poke (usually with a beak or finger)

⚫︎ 引く (hiku) - to pull ⚫︎ 放す (hanasu) - to release, to let go

彼は相手の弱点を突いて、試合に勝ちました。 ・Translation: He exploited his opponent's weakness and won the match. ・Explanation: Here, 突いて (from 突く) means to exploit or take advantage of, referring to a strategic move.

子供が棒で地面を突いて遊んでいる。 ・Translation: The child is poking the ground with a stick and playing. ・Explanation: This shows a more general use of 突く for poking.

The etymology of 突く is not definitively known. It is a native Japanese word, and the kanji 突 is a phonetic loan from Chinese, meaning to thrust or pierce. The origin is linked with the basic action of a quick, directed movement with a point or edge.