Heikkoihin

Heikkoihin is a Finnish illative plural form of the adjective heikko, meaning “to the weak” or “toward the weak.” In Finnish, illative forms indicate direction or focus of an action, and the plural form -iin or -ihin is used after certain stems. For the word heikko, the illative plural becomes heikkoihin.

Usage and meaning

In most contexts, heikkoihin functions as a target or recipient phrase, referring to a group of people described as weak or financially/physically vulnerable. It is common in formal or analytical language, especially in discussions about social policy, welfare, or rights, where actions, measures, or resources are described as directed at the weak. A typical example is: Toimenpiteet kohdistuvat heikkoihin, meaning “The measures are directed at the weak.”

Noun usage and nuance

Finnish adjectives can form noun phrases referring to a group. When the intention is to name the group as such, Finnish more commonly uses heikot (the weak, as a plural noun). Heikkoihin, by contrast, often appears when the illative meaning is explicit, i.e., the group is the object of action or direction (the weak toward whom something is aimed).

Related terms

Related linguistic concepts include the illative case itself, and the base adjective heikko, which can modify nouns or stand in noun-like phrases. The plural illative forms vary by stem, with -iin/-ihin as common endings; heikko → heikkoihin is a standard example.

See also

Illative case, Finnish grammar, heikko (Finnish adjective), heikot (the weak).