Revising How Japanese Reduplicated Words Are Used

Revising how Japanese reduplicated words are used

An easy way to learn and remember Japanese reduplicated words – let's revise them together.
Good luck with your studies.

 くたくた: worn out, exhausted
 How to remember it:
“Cử tạ, cử tạ” (くたくた – Vietnamese for “lifting weights”) and then you are “worn out”.
 Example:
六時間も山道を登ってきたので、くたくただ。
Six hours of climbing left me worn out.

へとへと: exhausted, worn to a frazzle
 How to remember it:
So “tired” you cannot “hét to hét to” (へとへと – Vietnamese for “shout loudly”).
 Example:
六時間連続で試験を受けて、もうへとへとだ。
Six hours of exams straight; I'm exhausted.

こちこち: rock hard
 How to remember it:
“Cổ chị, cổ chị” (こちこち – Vietnamese for “your neck”), why is it so “rock hard”?
 Example:
冷蔵庫に入っていたので、魚がこちこちだ。
The fish was put in the freezer, so it is frozen rock hard.

そわそわ: restless, unable to sit still
 How to remember it:
“Sợ quá sợ quá” (そわそわ – Vietnamese for “so frightened”) and so you are “restless”.
 Example:
姉の結婚式の朝、父はそわそわしていた。
On the morning of my sister's wedding, my father could not sit still.

のびのび: at leisure, taking your time (enjoying something)
 How to remember it:
“Nó bị, nó bị” (のびのび – Vietnamese for “something's wrong with him”)? The exam is coming and he is still taking it easy.
 Example:
両親が旅行で留守なので、のびのびできる。
My parents are away travelling, so I can take my time and enjoy myself.

 おちおち: calmly, peacefully (used with a negative)
 How to remember it:
“Ơ chị, ơ chị” (おちおち – Vietnamese for “oh, sister”), do speak “calmly”.
 Example:
話し声が気になって、おちおち勉強もできなかった。
Distracted by the sound of people talking, I couldn't study in peace.

どたどた: with a thud, thumping (footsteps)
 How to remember it:
He shouted “thumping” loud: “Đỡ tạ, đỡ tạ!” (どたどた – Vietnamese for “take the weight!”).
 Example:
どたどた歩いていると、下の階の人に悪いよ。
Stamping about like that will disturb the people downstairs.

てくてく: trudging away, walking step by step into the distance
 How to remember it:
Are you really “Thế cứ, thế cứ” (てくてく – Vietnamese for “just like that, then”) walking away from me?
 Example:
お婆さんはてくてく歩いて川に行きました。
My grandmother walked step by step towards the river.

ずけずけ: bluntly, frankly, without mincing words
 How to remember it:
He speaks “bluntly”, without “giữ kẽ, giữ kẽ” (ずけずけ – Vietnamese for “standing on ceremony”)
 Example: 彼女は上司に対してもずけずけものを言う。
Even with her superiors she speaks bluntly, sparing no one.

 きびきび: brisk, quick
 How to remember it:
You must “quickly” throw out these “kì bí, kì bí” (きびきび – Vietnamese for “mysterious”) things.
 Example:
彼はきびきびとした動きで荷物を運んだ。
He moves the luggage with brisk, quick movements.