擬態語 II

周まわりにちやほやされて勘違かんちがいしている。

Fawned over by everyone, he has got the wrong idea about himself.

Usage Used with する: ちやほやする / される — to pamper or flatter. Critical, because the person indulged is usually spoilt by it.

Remember it ちやほや → the noise of everyone making a fuss at once.

水みずの中なかに小ちいさな虫むしがうようよいる。

Small creatures are swarming in the water.

Usage Used with いる. The doubled うよ gives the crawling, skin-prickling feel. Used of insects, or of people when the crowd is a criticism.

Remember it うよ doubled → the mass of them writhing together.

態度たいどががらりと変かわった。

His attitude changed completely.

Usage Used with と, and almost only with 変わる. がらり is the sound of a sliding door thrown wide: change complete in a single motion.

Remember it がらり → the door slid open all at once, and everything behind it different.

スケジュールがきちきちで余裕よゆうがない。

The schedule is packed with no room to spare.

Usage Used as きちきちだ or きちきちに. The hard repeated き gives the sense of being bound tight. Used of schedules and of sizes.

Remember it きちきち → fitted so exactly that nothing can move.

箱はこに本ほんがぎっしり詰つまっている。

The box is packed tight with books.

Usage Used directly with a verb: ぎっしり詰まる, ぎっしり入る — crammed with no gap. The voiced ぎ makes it heavier and fuller than きちきち.

Remember it ぎっ → the weight of a thing filled to its last corner.

暑あつさで犬いぬがぐったりしている。

The dog is lying limp in the heat.

Usage Used with する. The heavy ぐ sags downward: a body gone slack from exhaustion or illness.

Remember it ぐったり → the body with the stiffening taken out of it.

毎日まいにちこつこつ続つづけるしかない。

There is nothing for it but to keep at it a little each day.

Usage Used directly with a verb. The sound is a small steady tapping: bit by bit, persistently. A compliment. Close to 地道に.

Remember it こつこつ → the small regular knock of work being done day after day.

なあなあで済すませるべきではない。

It should not be settled by a cosy compromise.

Usage Used with で: なあなあで済ます — glossing over rather than settling who is right. From the murmured なあ, なあ of two parties agreeing quietly. Critical.

Remember it なあ, なあ → the two of them nodding at each other and letting it go.

彼かれはしぶしぶ承知しょうちした。

He agreed reluctantly.

Usage Used directly with a verb. From 渋る, to be reluctant: doing it while not wanting to. Also written 渋々.

Remember it 渋る (hold back) doubled → doing it with the holding back still in you.

じっくり考かんがえてから決きめたい。

I want to think it over carefully before deciding.

Usage Used directly with a verb. The じっ settles and stays: thoroughly, and at your own pace. Opposites: ざっと, さっと.

Remember it じっ → settling in to it rather than passing over it.

質問しつもんにすらすら答こたえていた。

He was answering the questions fluently.

Usage Used directly with a verb. The smooth す runs on without catching. Opposites: つっかえる, どもる.

Remember it すら doubled → sliding along with nothing to catch on.

昔話むかしばなしにしんみりした。

The old stories left us quietly moved.

Usage Used with する. Not grief but a hushed, affected calm. Common at farewells, funerals and when reminiscing.

Remember it しんみり → the quiet that falls when everyone is feeling the same thing.

鋭するどい質問しつもんにたじたじだった。

He was floored by the sharp questions.

Usage Used as たじたじだ or たじたじになる. From たじろぐ: giving ground under pressure. It describes someone backed into a corner.

Remember it たじたじ → the feet going back a step, then another.

話はなしがちぐはぐで要領ようりょうを得えない。

The account does not hang together and makes no sense.

Usage Used adjectivally: ちぐはぐな, ちぐはぐだ — mismatched, out of step. Used of talk, of odd shoes, of parties at cross purposes.

Remember it ちぐ + はぐ → two halves that were never made for each other.

まんまと騙だまされてしまった。

I was completely taken in.

Usage Used directly with a verb, and almost always 騙す or a trick that worked. It means being outmanoeuvred neatly and entirely.

Remember it まんまと → the plan went exactly as the other person laid it.

責任せきにんの重おもさをひしひしと感かんじる。

I feel the weight of the responsibility keenly.

Usage Always with と and a verb of feeling: ひしひしと感じる, ひしひしと伝わる. The sound is of pressure arriving in waves. Written register.

Remember it ひしひし → pressing in against you from every side.

がむしゃらに働はたらいてきた。

I have worked at it headlong.

Usage Always with に. Throwing yourself in without calculation. It praises the drive and questions the judgement at once.

Remember it がむしゃら → charging in with the head down.

一日いちにち歩あるき回まわってへとへとだ。

I walked about all day and I am exhausted.

Usage Used as へとへとだ or へとへとになる. The thin へ is the sound of having no breath left. Colloquial. Close to くたくた.

Remember it へとへと → nothing left in the lungs or the legs.

当時とうじの光景こうけいをまざまざと思おもい出だす。

I recall the scene of the time vividly.

Usage Always with と: まざまざと思い出す, まざまざと見せつける — as though it were in front of you. Written register.

Remember it まざまざ → seen as clearly as if it were happening again now.

嫌いやなことがあってむしゃくしゃする。

Something unpleasant happened and I am irritated.

Usage Used with する. The sound suggests something clawing about inside: annoyance with nowhere to go. Colloquial.

Remember it むしゃくしゃ → the itch of a temper with no outlet.

問とい詰つめられてしどろもどろになった。

Pressed for an answer, he became incoherent.

Usage Used with になる. Speech falling apart under fluster. It describes someone losing composure under questioning.

Remember it しどろ + もどろ → the words coming out in no order at all.