Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 3: 15/17

つ (Conjunctive)two contrasting actions

Structure

Verb［stem］+ つ + (Antonym) Verb［stem］+ つ
Verb［stem］+ つ + (Antonym) Verb［stem］+ つ + の + Noun
Verb［stem］+ つ + Verb［られる］ーる + つ
Verb［stem］+ つ + Verb［られる］ーる + つ + の + Noun

行(ゆ)きつ戻(もど)りつ - going back and forth
浮(う)きつ沈(しず)みつ - rising and falling (bobbing)
見(み)えつ隠(かく)れつ - coming in and out of sight
とつおいつ (from 取(と)りつ置(お)きつ) - wavering between
矯(た)めつ眇(すが)めつ - taking a good look
組(く)んず解(ほぐ)れつ - struggling with
抜(ぬ)きつ抜(ぬ)かれつ - neck-and-neck
持(も)ちつ持(も)たれつ - give-and-take
押(お)しつ押(お)されつ - pull and be pulled
追(お)いつ追(お)われつ - lead changing many times
差(さ)しつ差(さ)されつ - taking turns filling cups

Details

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About つ〜つ

つ is a conjunction particle in Japanese that is used in constructions where it will appear twice, highlighting contrasting verbs. This つ～つ structure is often translated as 'to be doing (A) and (B) over and over', where the actions are happening repeatedly one after the other.

つ will connect to the conjunctive form of verbs, with (A) and (B) generally appearing in direct sequence.

Additionally, it is also quite common to see the same verb being repeated in both places. When this happens, the (A) verb will be in the standard form, while the (B) verb will be in the passive form. This just translates as 'to do (A) and to have (A) done to oneself'.

Caution

This grammar pattern is only used with a limited set of words in modern Japanese. Here is a list of some standard combinations.

行(ゆ)きつ戻(もど)りつ - To go back and forth.

浮(う)きつ沈(しず)みつ - To surface and submerge (to bob).

見(み)えつ隠(かく)れつ - To go in and our of sight.

とつおいつ (from 取(と)りつ置(お)きつ) - To waver between.

矯(た)めつ眇(すが)めつ - To take a good look.

組(く)んず解(ほど)れつ - To intertwine and release (to grapple).

抜(ぬ)きつ抜(ぬ)かれつ - To pull away and be pulled away from (to be neck and neck).

持(も)ちつ持(も)たれつ - To have and to be held (to give and take).

押(お)しつ押(お)されつ - To press and be pressed.

追(お)いつ追(お)われつ - To overtake and be overtaken.

差(さ)しつ差(さ)されつ - To pour and be poured (to take turns exchanging drinks).

Examples

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    アリとアリマキは持(も)ちつ持(も)たれつの関係(かんけい)にある。

    Ants and aphids have a give-and-take relationship.

    押(お)しつ押(お)されつしてなんとかそこに着(つ)くことができた。

    I managed to get there somehow by pushing and being pushed.

    彼(かれ)はドアの前(まえ)をしばらく不安(ふあん)げに行(い)きつ戻(もど)りつしていたすえに入(はい)ることにした。

    After some time, he finally decided to go inside after nervously going back and forth in front of the door.

    老人(ろうじん)は小枝(こえだ)の浮(う)きつ沈(しず)みつを眺(なが)めながら、海(うみ)の匂(にお)いを楽(たの)しんだ。

    The old man enjoyed the smell of the sea while watching the sinking and rising (bobbing) twig.

    藤原(ふじわら)拓海(たくみ)、須藤(すどう)京一(きょういち)など、多(おお)くの有名(ゆうめい)なドライバーが抜(ぬ)きつ抜(ぬ)かれつのレースを繰(く)り広(ひろ)げた。

    Takumi Fujiwara, Kyoichi Sudo, and many other famous drivers put on a neck and neck race. (back and forth)

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      つ〜つ – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

      • wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

        wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

        I noticed that くんずほぐれつ is spelled with ず instead of つ. While the only verb on the list that would fall into this category is 組む, so it’s hard to tell, is it correct to infer that ぬ・む verbs exhibit this as a form of 連濁? I’m not sure whether ぐ verbs would be similarly affected or if they would follow く and take つ.

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