第283課: Reduplication: Adjectives
As we have learned, reduplication is an important means of creating new words in Japanese. In this lesson, we will focus on how this affects the construction of adjectival phrases.
Many new adjectives are created by doubling a word and following it with –shii しい. All sorts of things can be morphed into new adjectives in this way. Everything from nouns to adjectives, adjectival nouns, verbs, prefixes, and things that would otherwise not be used as words in isolation may be doubled and followed by –shii しい to make new adjectives.
The words that are created in this manner are all adjectives with heightened descriptive power capable of capturing the speaker’s feelings and the meaning itself will always be specialized.
Spelling Note: As we learned when studying repetition in nouns, the second element of a reduplicated phrase is usually written as 々 when it is only one character long and written out fully if longer than one character.
i. 刺々しい
Togetogeshii
To be thorny/snappy
ii. 冴え冴えしい
Saezaeshii
To be beyond vivid and refreshing
Pronunciation Note: The phonological phenomenon rendaku 連濁 still applies for reduplication in adjectives. As i. demonstrates, however, if the second syllable of the second element is voiced, even if the initial consonant of said second element is devoiced, it will not become voiced.
iii. 白々しい
Shirajirashii
Barefaced/pure white
iv. くどくどしい
Kudokudoshii
Verbose
Examples
From Nouns
1. 会場に物々しい雰囲気が漂った。
Kaijō ni monomonoshii fun’iki ga tadayotta.
An imposing atmosphere floated in the grounds.
2. お嬢さんは以前にも増して顔立ちが福々しくなっていました。
Ojō-san wa izen ni mo mashite kaodachi ga fukubukushikunatte imashita.
Her looks were more plump and happy-looking than ever before.
3. よく、図々しい人のことを「面の皮が厚い」と言います。
Yoku, zūzūshii hito no koto wo “tsura no kawa ga atsui” to iimasu.
We often call shamelesspeople “brazen-faced.”
4. 甲斐甲斐しく立ち働いている外国人が大勢いました。
Kaigaishiku tachihataraite iru gaikokujin ga ōzei imashita.
There were many foreigners diligentlyat work.
5. 幼虫は毒々しい色彩を持つ。
Yōchū wa dokudokushii shikisai wo motsu.
The larvae have a poisonous-looking color scheme.
6. 店員さんの応対も角々しいところはない。
Ten’in-san no ōtai mo kadokadoshii tokoro wa nai.
There isn’t anything angular about the clerk’s reception either.
7. そんな空々しい嘘をつかなくてもいいんだよ。
Son’na sorazorashii uso wo tsukanakute mo ii n da yo.
There’s no need for you to make such a falselie.
8. 女々しい男ってどんな人でしょうか。
Memeshii otoko tte don’na hito deshō ka?
What kind of person is a feminineman?
9. 離婚したくないなら、あなた自身が雄々しい男になる必要があります。
Rikon shitakunai nara, anata jishin ga ōshii otoko ni naru hitsuyō ga arimasu.
If you don’t wish to divorce, you yourself must become manly.
10. この世には、禍々しいオーラを纏った人が多くいます。
Kono yo ni wa, magamagashiiōra wo matotta hito ga ōku imasu.
There are many people in this world that put on an ominous aura.
Word Note: Maga is an ancient word meaning “disaster.”
11. 本当に神々しい神社です。
Hontō ni kōgōshii jinja desu.
It is a very sublime temple.
Word Note: Kōgōshii 神々しい derives from a sound change of kamigami. This then became kamugamu which became kaugau, which finally resulted in kōgō.
12. 事々しく言い訳をする。
Kotogoshiku iiwake wo suru.
To pretentiously make an excuse.
Usage Note: Kotogotoshii 事々しいis particularly rare and is usually rephrased with something else.
13. 彼はいつも白々しい嘘ばかりで腹が立ちます。
Kare wa itsu mo shirajirashii uso bakari de hara ga tachimasu.
I’m mad at how he always makes just the most glaring lies.
Word Note: Shira is a form of the noun shiro 白 (white) used specifically in compounds.
14. 彼女はけばけばしく化粧をしていた。
Kanojo wa kebakebashiku keshō wo shite ita.
She gaudily wore her makeup.
Spelling Note: Kebakebashii may also be spelled as 毳々しい.
Word Note: The word keba is actually a noun meaning fuzz, which can be spelled as 毛羽 or 毳.
15. 艶々しい髪をまっすぐに垂らす。
Tsuyatsuyashii kami wo massugu ni tarasu.
To hang down one’s glossy hair straight.
Word Note: Tsuya 艶 is a noun meaning “gloss/charm.”
16. 賑々しい繁華街で夕食する。
Niginigishiihankagai de yūshoku suru.
To have dinner in a lively shopping district.
Word Note: The word nigi is an ancient noun for “bustle” which has not been used in isolation in a very long time.
17. 成果は捗々しくなかった。
Seika wa hakabakashikunakatta.
The results were not satisfactory.
Word Note: The haka comes from an old noun referring to work load/progress found in other words like hakaru 計る・測る・図る・量る・諮る・謀る (the nuances and spellings revolve around different senses of devising/measuring/deliberating something) and hakadoru 捗る (to make progress).
18. ドバイの2017年は街全体を照らす花火とともに華々しく幕を開けた。
Dobai no nisenjūnananen wa machi zentai wo terasu hanabi to tomo ni hanabanashikumaku wo aketa.
2017 in Dubai kicked off splendidly with fireworks which lit up the whole city.
Word Note: 華 is another form of 花 (flower).
19. ここは採れたての瑞々しい野菜を毎日食べるという気楽さを楽しめる町です。
Koko wa toretate no mizumizushiiyasai wo mainichi taberu to iu kirakusa wo tanoshimeru machi desu.
This town here is a place where you can enjoy the ease of eating fresh,picked vegetables every day.
Word Note: Mizu 瑞 is an ancient noun meaning “purity/luster.”
From Adjectives/Adjectival Nouns
20. 痛々しいニュースが相次いでいる。
Itaitashiinyūsu ga aitsuide iru.
Painful news keeps coming in one after another.
21. 最近は、見た目年齢が若々しい女性が増えている。
Saikin wa, mita me nenrei ga wakawakashii josei ga fuete iru.
Recently, the amount of women whose apparent age is youthful is increasing.
22. 馬鹿馬鹿しい話はよしましょう。
Bakabakashii hanashi wa yoshimashō.
Let’s stop it with the ludicroustalks.
23. 啓祐は数秒の沈黙を破って弱々しい声を出した。
Keisuke wa sūbyō no chimmoku wo yabutte yowayowashiikoe wo dashita.
Keisuke broke the several seconds of silence, speaking frailly.
24. とある細々しい物が纏まっている商品を購入しました。
To aru komagomashii mono ga matomatte iru shōhin wo kōnyū shimashita.
I purchased merchandise with certain very fineparts bunched up.
25. 母はいつも苦々しい顔をしていた。
Haha wa itsu mo niganigashiikao wo shite ita.
My mother always had an unpleasantlook on her face.
26. スタジアムは重々しい雰囲気に包まれていた。
Sutajiamu wa omo’omoshii fun’iki ni tsutsumarete ita.
A serious atmosphere enveloped the stadium.
27. 織田信長は短気で荒々しい性格を持っていたといわれる。
Oda Nobunaga wa tanki de ara’arashii seikaku wo motte ita to iwareru.
It is said that Oda Nobunaga had a quick temper and roughpersonality.
28. 軽々しい行動を取っていると、監視対象になり、アカウントの凍結などの厳しい処置になる可能性があります。
Karugarushiikōdō wo totte iru to, kanshi taishō ni nari, akaunto no tōketsu nado no kibishii shochi ni naru kanōsei ga arimasu.
If you are making carelessactions, you may become the target of surveillance, and there is the possibility of harsh measures such as the freezing of one’s account.
29.まめまめしく働いているのは彼だけだ。
Mamemameshiku hataraite iru no wa kare dake da.
The only one who is painstakingly working is him.
Spelling Note: Mamemameshii may also be written as 忠実忠実しい.
30. ○○政権は、自らの政策を「○○ノミクス」だとかいって仰々しく宣伝していますが、新しい中身はあるんでしょうか。
Marumaru Seiken wa, mizukara no seisaku wo “marumaru-nomikusu” da toka itte gyōgyōshikusenden shite imasu ga, atarashii nakami wa aru n deshō ka?
The ## Administration bombastically propagandizes its own policies as “##nomics,” but is there new substance to be had?
Word Note: Gyōgyōshii 仰々しい actually derives from the adjectival noun keu 希有 (rare/uncommon) being reduplicated and having its pronunciation and spelling altered.
31. 星が淡々しかった。
Hoshi ga awa’awashikatta.
The stars were faint.
Usage Note: Awa’awashii 淡々しい is particularly rare and is usually rephrased with something else.
32. 騒々しい場所ではなかなか会話が聞き取れない。
Sōzōshii basho de wa nakanaka kaiwa ga kikitorenai.
I can’t really make out conversations in noisy places.
Word Note: Although not used in isolation in Japanese, 騒 is being used here as an adjective for being “noisy.”
33. 凛々しい人に憧れていました。
Ririshii hito ni akogarete imashita.
I was attracted by gallantpeople.
Word Note: Ririshii 凛々しい derives from rinrin 凛々 (awe-inspiring/bitter cold).
From Verbs
34. 賑やかで晴れ晴れしい空気が溢れている。
Nigiyaka de harebareshiikūki ga afurete iru.
A lively and splendidatmosphere is abounding.
35. 周りに馴れ馴れしい人はいますか。
Mawari ni narenareshii hito wa imasu ka?
Is there anyone around who is being over-familiar?
36.ふてぶてしい態度を取る人は悪い印象を持たれてしまう。
Futebuteshii taido wo toru hito wa warui inshō wo motarete shimau.
People who take a brazen attitude give out bad impressions.
Word Note: Futebuteshii ふてぶてしい derives from the verb futeru ふてる, which is a dialect variation of the verb futekusareru ふて腐れる (to become sulky), which it also gave rise to. Futebuteshii may alternatively be written as 太々しい, 不貞不貞しい, or 不敵不敵しい.
37. 若いころの忌々しい記憶を思い出したくない。
Wakai koro no imaimashii kioku wo omoidashitakunai.
I don’t want to remember the provoking memories from when I was young.
Word Note: The ima comes from the verb imu 忌む (to detest/shun).
38. 盗人猛々しい。
Nusubito takedakeshii.
The guilty are audacious.
Word Note: Takedakeshii 猛々しい derives from the verb takeru 猛る (to rage). However, this verb form is now quite rare.
39. 清々しい表情で記者会見に臨む。
Sugasugashii hyōjō de kisha kaiken ni nozomu.
To appear in a press conference with a briskexpression.
Word Note: The suga comes from the verb sugiru 過ぎる (to pass by).
None of the Above
40. お二人とも20代前半の初々しいカップルです。
Ofutari tomo nijūdai zenhan no uiuishii kappuru desu.
They are an unspoiledcouple both in their early twenties.
Word Note: Uiuishii 初々しい derives from the prefix ui– 初, which means “first” and is seen in a handful of words such as uizan 初産 (first childbirth).