Entry
ビシャビシャ
bishabisha
Describes a state of being completely soaked, a slushy surface, or the sound of splashing water.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
ビシャビシャ is an onomatopoeia used to describe a thoroughly soaked and uncomfortable state, a slushy or messy surface like mud or puddles, as well as the loud sound of splashing water. It is commonly used when clothes are drenched by rain, roads are flooded, or when stepping into water.
- Soaked state
- Slushy surface
- Splashing sound
Sense Map
Soaked (State)
Indicates a state of being completely wet with water, usually resulting in discomfort or a messy appearance.
濡れてビシャビシャになる
Slushy / Flooded (Surface)
Describes a floor or road that is wet, slushy, or muddy due to spilled water or melting snow.
道がビシャビシャだ
Splashing (Action)
Describes the loud sound or action of splashing water, such as walking heavily through puddles.
ビシャビシャと歩く
Usage Note
How to Use
ビシャビシャになる
Means 'to become soaked or slushy'. It is used to express a change of state, such as clothes getting drenched or snow turning into slush.
ビシャビシャに濡れる
Means 'to get soaking wet'. This emphasizes the action and degree of getting wet, often due to rain or a spill.
ビシャビシャの + noun
Means 'soaked [noun]' or 'slushy [noun]'. It acts as a modifier for nouns, such as describing a messy road (ビシャビシャの道).
ビシャビシャと + verb
Means 'to [verb] with a splashing sound'. It functions as an adverb, typically paired with verbs like walking (歩く) to describe splashing through water.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ビシャビシャになる
to become soaked or slushy
ビシャビシャに濡れる
to get soaking wet
ビシャビシャの道
a slushy/messy road
ビシャビシャと歩く
to walk splashing water
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wet clothes (from rain) | negative | Describes clothes that are not just wet, but dripping with excess water and feeling very uncomfortable. |
| Wet floors or roads | negative | Indicates a slushy, flooded, or muddy surface condition that is bothersome to look at or walk on. |
| Stepping in puddles | neutral | Focuses on the loud splashing sound made by feet or tires hitting standing water. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
びしょびしょ びしょびしょ / similar | When emphasizing a thoroughly soaked state that absorbs water (like sweat or rain) without the splashing sound. | びしょびしょ focuses more on the thoroughly wet, absorbed state itself, whereas ビシャビシャ carries nuances of surface water, slushiness, or loud splashing sounds. | 汗でびしょびしょになる |
びちゃびちゃ びちゃびちゃ / similar | For smaller splashes of water or wet surfaces that give a slightly dirtier impression. | びちゃびちゃ sounds slightly dirtier and smaller in scale compared to the louder, heavier splashes of ビシャビシャ. | 泥水でびちゃびちゃだ |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using this word to describe clothes heavily soaked with sweat.
For sweat, 'びしょびしょ' or 'びっしょり' is more natural because they don't carry the nuance of surface water splashing.
Assuming it just means 'wet' in a neutral way.
This word usually carries a connotation of messiness, slushiness, surface puddles, or discomfort, not just being cleanly wet.
Examples
Examples
雨で服がビシャビシャになった。
あめでふくがビシャビシャになった。
My clothes got completely soaked in the rain.
VisualEmphasizes the uncomfortable, heavily drenched state.
水をこぼして床がビシャビシャだ。
みずをこぼしてゆかがビシャビシャだ。
The floor is soaking wet and messy because I spilled water.
VisualShows the messy and wet state of the surface.
雪が溶けて、道がビシャビシャになっている。
ゆきがとけて、みちがビシャビシャになっている。
The snow is melting, and the road has become slushy.
VisualDescribes the messy, watery condition of the road surface due to melting snow.
子供が水たまりをビシャビシャと歩く。
こどもがみずたまりをビシャビシャとあるく。
The child walks splashing through the puddle.
VisualDescribes the sound and action of splashing water.
車がビシャビシャと泥水をはねる。
くるまがビシャビシャとどろみずをはねる。
The car splashes muddy water.
VisualShows the forceful splashing sound of dirty water.
Similar Words
びしょびしょ
bishobisho
Bishobisho describes a state of being completely soaked or thoroughly drenched. Focuses more on being thoroughly wet or saturated without the splashing sound.
びちゃびちゃ
bichabicha
Bicha-bicha describes the messy sound of splashing in shallow water or the uncomfortable state of being soaking wet. Indicates smaller-scale splashing and often sounds slightly dirtier.
ぐしゃぐしゃ
gushagusha
Completely soaked, severely crushed out of shape, or thoroughly messy and disorganized.
ざぶざぶ
zabuzabu
ざぶざぶ describes the heavy, vigorous sound of a large amount of water splashing or sloshing.
Questions
What is the difference between ビシャビシャ (bishabisha) and びしょびしょ (bishobisho)?
Both mean 'soaked'. However, ビシャビシャ focuses on splashing surface water or a messy, slushy state, while びしょびしょ focuses on an object being heavily saturated with absorbed liquid (like a towel or sweat) without splashing noises.
Can I use this word for snow?
Yes. It is frequently used to describe melting snow on the roads that has turned into a wet, messy slush.
Does this word always have a negative nuance?
Usually, yes, because it describes an uncomfortable, messy, or excessively wet condition. However, it can be neutral when describing something like children playfully splashing in puddles.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2403870
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- Needs review
- Active language
- English
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