追いかける
おいかける
okkakeru
= to chase; to run after; to pursue
Okkakeru (追いかける) means to chase or pursue — a versatile verb that covers everything from literally running after a runaway dog to pursuing a dream career. It appears in everyday conversation, romantic contexts, sports, and inspirational rhetoric alike.
Okkakeru (追いかける) means to chase, run after, or pursue something or someone. It is a contraction of oikakeru (追いかける — standard written form), with oi collapsing to o in spoken and casual usage. Both forms are correct; oikakeru appears in formal writing while okkakeru is more commonly spoken. Physical uses: dorobou wo okkakeru (泥棒を追いかける, to chase a thief), basu wo okkakeru (バスを追いかける, to run after a bus). Figurative uses: yume wo okkakeru (夢を追いかける, to chase a dream/pursue one’s dreams) and ryuukou wo okkakeru (流行を追いかける, to chase trends). The related verb oikosu (追い越す, to overtake/pass) describes successfully getting ahead of the thing you’re chasing.
The distinction between the written form oikakeru (追いかける) and the spoken colloquial okkakeru is worth noting. In written Japanese — text messages, formal writing, subtitles — you’ll see oikakeru. In natural spoken conversation, many speakers say okkakeru. Both are the same verb; the pronunciation shift is a common phonological reduction in casual speech. For learners, recognizing both forms prevents confusion when hearing the verb spoken rapidly.
追いかける uses 追 (tsui/o — to pursue, to follow, to drive away). The character shows a road/movement radical (辶 or 辵) combined with a shape suggesting something being pushed forward — conveying active pursuit. It appears in many compound words: 追加 (tsuika, addition — ‘chasing on more’), 追放 (tsuihou, banishment — ‘chasing away’), 追跡 (tsuiseki, pursuit/tracking).
Everyday use
電車に乗り遅れて、ホームまで追いかけたけど間に合わなかった。
Densha ni noriosokurete, hoomu made okkaketa kedo ma ni awanakatta.
I missed the train and ran after it to the platform, but didn’t make it.
Casual / Social Media
好きな人が歩いて行くのを追いかけたい気持ちをずっと抑えてた。
Suki na hito ga aruite iku no wo okkaketa kimochi wo zutto osaete ta.
I’d been holding back the urge to run after the person I like as they walked away.
Formal / Cultural context
夢を追いかけることをやめた時、人は本当の意味で老いる。
Yume wo okkakeru koto wo yameta toki, hito wa hontou no imi de oiru.
The moment you stop chasing your dreams is the moment you truly begin to age.
The phrase yume wo okkakeru (夢を追いかける, to chase a dream) is one of the most common motivational expressions in Japanese — appearing in coming-of-age stories, graduation speeches, sports documentaries, and job-hunting advertising. Japan’s cultural relationship with dreams (yume) is complex: on one hand, there is strong rhetoric around pursuing passion and following one’s path; on the other, social structures including university entrance pressure, seniority-based hiring, and the expectation of stable employment in large companies have historically channeled ambition into conventional paths. Yume wo okkakeru heroes — musicians, athletes, independent creators — are celebrated precisely because they diverged from the expected route.
In physical sports contexts, okkakeru and related pursuit vocabulary carry high cultural significance. Japanese baseball, soccer, and marathon coverage frequently use 追いかける language to describe trailing teams or athletes closing a gap. The narrative of pursuit — falling behind and then catching up — is a beloved story structure in Japanese sports media, and verbs of chasing and overtaking (oikakeru, oikosu) anchor that storytelling.
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