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    縁起を担ぐ (engi o katsugu - to be superstitious)

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral

    How it works

    This is an idiomatic verb phrase. 『縁起 (engi)』 means 'omen' or 'luck', 『を (o)』 is the direct object particle, and 『担ぐ (katsugu)』 means 'to carry on one's shoulder' but here it takes on the idiomatic meaning of 'to believe in' or 'to be particular about'. The phrase collectively means to believe in omens or superstitions, often with a nuance of being a bit old-fashioned or overly concerned with them.

    Sample sentences

    祖母はとても縁起を担ぐ人なので、黒猫を見ると回り道をします。

    My grandmother is a very superstitious person, so she takes a detour if she sees a black cat.

    彼は試合前にいつも縁起を担いで、同じ靴下を履いています。

    He is always superstitious before a match, so he wears the same socks.

    私はあまり縁起を担ぐ方ではないけれど、やっぱり験の良いことは信じたいですね。

    I'm not particularly superstitious, but I still want to believe in things that bring good luck.

    Quick facts

    nuance:Often implies a somewhat naive or traditional belief in omens, not necessarily a negative connotation but sometimes used to describe someone who is overly cautious due to such beliefs.
    literal_meaning_of_verbs:While 『担ぐ (katsugu)』 primarily means 'to carry on one's shoulder', its use in this phrase is idiomatic, not literal. The nuance implies 'holding onto' or 'being burdened by' omens.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    祖母はとても縁起を担ぐ人なので、黒猫を見ると回り道をします。

    My grandmother is a very superstitious person, so she takes a detour if she sees a black cat.

    彼は試合前にいつも縁起を担いで、同じ靴下を履いています。

    He is always superstitious before a match, so he wears the same socks.

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