Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA |
|---|---|
| kucak | /ku.dʒɑk/ |
| kucaklama | /kud͡ʒaklama/ (from spelling rules) |
The word is used to refer to an affectionate embrace. While the noun forms describe the embrace or the space, the verb sarılmak is the most common way to express the action of hugging someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun kucak literally refers to a lap or one's arms, viewed as a space or container for something or someone.
Which one should you use?
While kucak can mean 'hug' in certain contexts, it more fundamentally refers to the physical space of one's lap or the embrace of one's arms. You may also see the form kucaklama, which is used for the act of a hug.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb sarılmak to mean 'to hug someone', it is used in a reflexive sense, such as ona sarılmak (to hug him/her).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /ku.dʒɑk/. The /k/ sound is like the [c] in 'core', the /u/ sound is like the [oo] in 'cool' and the /dʒ/ sound is like the [j] in 'jump'.
Did you know?
- In Turkish culture, a hug is often accompanied by a kiss on both cheeks, alternating from right to left.
- The verb sarılmak used for hugging is actually a reflexive form of sarmak, which means 'to wrap' or 'to wind'.
- The term kucak is used in the idiom kucak dolusu, which means 'armful' and is used to describe an abundance of something, not just people.
Examples in context
- Neden o artık beni kucaklamıyor?Why doesn't he hug me anymore?This sentence is useful for understanding the use of the verb with the form kucak.Tatoeba #4772530 by duran, translation #1813991 by Amastan
- Tom Mary'yi kucaklayan ilk çocuktu.Tom was the first boy to hug Mary.This sentence shows the use of the form kucak in a relative clause.Tatoeba #5654587 by duran, translation #5651621 by mailohilohi
- Sadece hoş büyük bir kucaklamaya ne dersin?How about just a nice, big hug?This sentence shows how to use the noun kucaklama to refer to a nice, big hug.Tatoeba #4210955 by duran, translation #3315143 by CK
- Kucaklama, en samimi duygularımı paylaşmanın bir yolu.Hug, a way to express my deepest feelings.
- Hoş geldiniz! Size sarılmak benim için büyük bir onur.Welcome! It's a great honor to embrace you.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Merve and Mehmet are saying goodbye at the airport.
- MerveGitmeden önce kocaman bir kucak istiyorum.I want a big hug before you go.
- MehmetTabii ki, gel buraya!Of course, come here!
- MerveSeni çok özleyeceğim, Mehmet.I will miss you very much, Mehmet.
- MehmetBen de seni özleyeceğim, Merve.I will miss you too, Merve.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hug” translations and entries kucak, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
