How do you say "struggling" in Japanese?

“Struggling” in Japanese

Short answer

じたばた jitabata じたばた

Struggling in Japanese is “じたばた” (jitabata). Full meaning: (kicking and) struggling, wriggling, floundering, flailing; to get into a panic, to make a fuss, to make a scene.

Other ways to say “Struggling” in Japanese

アガキ agaki struggling, pawing (e.g. horses' hooves) 足掻き agaki struggling, pawing (e.g. horses' hooves) 格闘 kakutou (hand-to-hand) fight, grapple, scuffle, tussle; struggling (with a problem, task, etc.), grappling, wrestling, getting to grips (with) ジタバタ jitabata (kicking and) struggling, wriggling, floundering, flailing; to get into a panic, to make a fuss, to make a scene かくとう kakutou (hand-to-hand) fight, grapple, scuffle, tussle; struggling (with a problem, task, etc.), grappling, wrestling, getting to grips (with) フーフー fuufuu blowing repeatedly (e.g. to cool something down); huffing and puffing, puffing and panting, gasping; struggling (with work, studies, etc.), having difficulty 角鬪 kakutou (hand-to-hand) fight, grapple, scuffle, tussle; struggling (with a problem, task, etc.), grappling, wrestling, getting to grips (with) 挌闘 kakutou (hand-to-hand) fight, grapple, scuffle, tussle; struggling (with a problem, task, etc.), grappling, wrestling, getting to grips (with) 苦しい kurushii painful, difficult, tough, hard; distressing, (psychologically) difficult, stressful, awkward (e.g. position); straitened (circumstances), tight (financial situation), needy, struggling ぐるしい gurushii painful, difficult, tough, hard; distressing, (psychologically) difficult, stressful, awkward (e.g. position); straitened (circumstances), tight (financial situation), needy, struggling くるしい kurushii painful, difficult, tough, hard; distressing, (psychologically) difficult, stressful, awkward (e.g. position); straitened (circumstances), tight (financial situation), needy, struggling

Looking for the other direction? Search any Japanese word in the Nihoner lexicon, or practise what you have learned in the learning games.