Entry
泡々
awaawa
Awa-awa describes a state of being full of soft, voluminous bubbles, lather, or froth.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This onomatopoeia is used to depict something producing a significant amount of foam or bubbles, such as soap suds, lathered shampoo, or the head on a glass of beer. It conveys a clear visual and tactile sense of lightness and an abundance of airy froth.
- A liquid generating an abundance of soft foam.
- Something completely covered in suds or froth.
Sense Map
Soap and Shampoo Lather
Describes the thick, soft foam produced by vigorously rubbing soap, shampoo, or detergent.
シャンプーでアワアワになる。
Beverage Froth
Describes the abundant bubbles or foam resting on the surface of liquids like freshly poured beer.
ビールの泡々が美味しい。
Usage Note
How to Use
アワアワになる
Means 'to become foamy' or 'to get covered in lather and bubbles'.
泡々の + noun
Acts as a modifier meaning 'bubbly [noun]' or 'foamy [noun]'.
アワアワする
Describes the act of foaming up or generating bubbles.
How to Use
Common Phrases
シャンプーでアワアワになる
to become covered in shampoo lather
アワアワの石鹸
foamy soap
アワアワに泡立てる
to whip up into a thick foam
口の周りがアワアワだ
mouth is covered in foam
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Washing the body or hair | positive/neutral | Conveys a clean, satisfying feeling of having plenty of soft lather. |
| Pouring a drink (like beer or a latte) | positive/neutral | Suggests the drink looks highly appetizing with a perfect, generous head of foam. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ぶくぶく ぶくぶく / nearby | When describing the sound or visual of bubbles actively rising, boiling, or bursting in a liquid. | Awa-awa focuses on the accumulation of a soft surface foam, while bukubuku emphasizes the active generation, movement, or popping of bubbles from underwater. | お湯がぶくぶく沸く。 |
もったり もったり / contrast | When describing a thick, heavy, and dense paste or foam (like thickly whipped cream or beaten egg whites). | Awa-awa feels light, airy, and watery, whereas mottari is heavy, dense, and maintains its shape well. | もったりとしたクリーム。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it to describe solid foams like memory foam mattresses or styrofoam.
Awa-awa is exclusively for liquid-based, transient foam like soap suds or beverage froth.
Using this word for boiling water.
Boiling water is better described with 'bukubuku' or 'guruguru', not awa-awa.
Examples
Examples
シャンプーを泡立てて、髪をアワアワにした。
しゃんぷーをあわだてて、かみをあわあわにした。
I lathered the shampoo and made my hair all foamy.
VisualDescribes the abundant lather of shampoo.
グラスに注いだビールが泡々になっている。
ぐらすにそいだびーるがあわあわになっている。
The beer poured into the glass has become very frothy.
VisualShows the appetizing froth of beer.
スポンジを揉むと、石鹸がアワアワになった。
すぽんじをもむと、せっけんがあわあわになった。
When I squeezed the sponge, the soap became very sudsy.
VisualFocuses on the soap turning into lather.
子供が泡々のお風呂で遊んでいる。
こどもがあわあわのおふろであそんでいる。
The children are playing in a bubble bath.
VisualAbundant bubbles used for a bubble bath.
犬を洗ったら、全身があわあわになった。
いぬをあらったら、ぜんしんがあわあわになった。
After washing the dog, its whole body was covered in suds.
VisualDescribes a body completely covered in soap lather.
Similar Words
もったり
mottari
Thick and heavy, directly contrasting with the light, airy nature of awa-awa.
Questions
What is the difference between awa (泡) and awa-awa (泡々)?
Awa is simply the standard noun for 'bubble' or 'foam'. Awa-awa is an onomatopoeic word emphasizing that there is a large abundance of soft, accumulated foam.
Does this word have other meanings?
Yes, in youth slang, the phrase 'awa-awa suru' (playfully derived from the verb 'awateru', meaning to panic) is sometimes used to mean 'to panic' or 'be flustered'. However, its primary physical meaning remains 'foamy'.
Can I use awa-awa for blown soap bubbles?
It is not typically used for individual floating soap bubbles (shabondama). It is best used for a gathered mass of suds or lather.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2859194
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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