How do you say "to play (the drums)" in Japanese?

弾く

hajiku

Verb Kanji

In Japanese, "to play (the drums)" is 弾く (hajiku).

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Pronunciation

弾く is written using kanji. Romanised as hajiku, it sounds roughly like "hah-jee-koo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

The kanji 弾 originally depicted a hand plucking a bowstring or striking, now used for playing string and percussion instruments.

Example sentence

私は毎日弾きます。

Watashi wa mainichi hajikimasu.

I to play (the drums) every day.

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How to remember 弾く

A hand striking or plucking. Picture fingers moving quickly to strike drum skins or pluck strings.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese verbs.

Questions about 弾く

How do you pronounce 弾く?

弾く is romanised as hajiku. Say it roughly like "hah-jee-koo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 弾く formal or casual?

弾く is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 弾く written in Japanese?

弾く is written using kanji. The kanji 弾 originally depicted a hand plucking a bowstring or striking, now used for playing string and percussion instruments..

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"To play (the drums)" in other languages

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