突く
つく · tsuku · JLPT N3 · verb-godan
to poke
🗡️ tsuku sounds like stick you: 突 = 穴 hole + 犬 dog bursting out
The kanji 突 puts 犬 (dog) under 穴 (hole): a dog lunging out of its den, a sudden forward thrust. The reading tsuku echoes stick you, which is what a poke or a jab does.
つつく · tsutsuku · JLPT N1 · verb-godan
to poke
🗡️ 突 = thrust, 突き刺す = thrust + pierce, so 突く is a sharp jab with a pointed tool
Reads tsuku, not tsutsuku. Tsutsuku (突つく) is a different word meaning to peck or nudge repeatedly.