Entry
ぶわっ
buwa
Describes something spreading, welling up, or gushing outward suddenly, like a gust of wind or bursting into tears.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
A mimetic word representing a sudden and vigorous outward expansion. It is most commonly used to describe a sudden gust of wind, a scent rapidly filling the air, or tears uncontrollably welling up in someone's eyes.
- Sudden expansion
- Bursting into tears
Sense Map
Sudden expansion (wind, scent, heat)
Used when wind, air, scent, or heat spreads or blows outward all at once.
風がぶわっと吹く
Bursting into tears / gushing liquid
Used when liquid, particularly tears or sweat, suddenly wells up or gushes out uncontrollably.
涙がぶわっとあふれる
Usage Note
How to Use
ぶわっと + Verb
Most commonly used as an adverb before verbs of spreading or overflowing, such as 広がる (spread) or あふれる (well up).
ぶわっ + と + Verb
How to Use
Common Phrases
ぶわっと広がる
to spread suddenly (scent, flames)
ぶわっとあふれる
to well up suddenly (tears)
ぶわっと吹き出す
to burst out / blow out suddenly
涙がぶわっと出る
tears suddenly well up and fall
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wind / Air / Heat | neutral | Describes a sudden, enveloping wave of air or temperature change hitting you. |
| Scent | neutral | Used when a strong smell hits your nose and fills the space all at once. |
| Tears / Emotion | emotional | Emphasizes the uncontrollability and suddenness of the physical reaction to emotion. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
どばっと どばっと / similar | Used when a large volume of liquid or objects pours or spills out forcefully at once. | ぶわっ focuses more on sudden expansion or a welling up (like wind, scent, or tears), whereas ドバッと focuses on a heavy, messy flow of a large quantity. | 水がドバッとこぼれる |
じんわり じんわり / opposite | Used when something like tears or sweat slowly and gradually seeps out. | ぶわっ is sudden, vigorous, and explosive, whereas じんわり describes a very slow, gradual, and quiet progression. | 汗がじんわり にじむ |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ぶわっ for loud explosion sounds like a bomb.
It describes an outward expansion of wind, scent, or tears, not a harsh explosive noise. For heavy explosions, use ドカン (dokan).
Using it for people or cars moving quickly in a straight line.
It implies spreading out or welling up. For simple fast, straight movement, use words like びゅんびゅん (byunbyun).
Examples
Examples
窓を開けると、風がぶわっと吹き込んできた。
まどを あけると、かぜが ぶわっと ふきこんできた。
When I opened the window, a gust of wind blew in suddenly.
LiteralShows the sudden rush of wind when the window is opened.
映画のラストシーンを見て、涙がぶわっとあふれた。
えいがの ラストシーンを みて、なみだが ぶわっと あふれた。
Watching the final scene of the movie, tears suddenly welled up in my eyes.
FigurativeDescribes tears spilling out instantly due to uncontrollable emotion.
オーブンを開けた瞬間、熱気がぶわっと顔に当たった。
オーブンを あけた しゅんかん、ねっきが ぶわっと かおに あたった。
The moment I opened the oven, a blast of hot air hit my face.
LiteralShows a sudden wave of heat enveloping someone instantly.
箱を開けると、花の香りがぶわっと広がった。
はこを あけると、はなの かおりが ぶわっと ひろがった。
When I opened the box, the scent of flowers suddenly spread everywhere.
VisualScent is invisible, but this word helps visualize its rapid, physical expansion.
緊張して、汗がぶわっと吹き出した。
きんちょうして、あせが ぶわっと ふきだした。
Because I was nervous, sweat suddenly burst forth.
LiteralDescribes a large amount of sweat coming out all at once from the pores.
Similar Words
ドバッと
dobatto
Both describe a sudden outward movement, but ドバッと is specific to a large, heavy volume of liquid or objects spilling.
Questions
Can I use ぶわっ to describe heavy rain?
No. Heavy rain is usually described with ざあざあ (zaazaa). ぶわっ is better suited for a sudden gust of wind or tears welling up.
Is ぶわっ formal vocabulary?
No, it is a casual mimetic word primarily used in everyday conversation and descriptive writing like novels or manga.
What is the difference between ぶわっ and ぶわっと?
They mean the same thing. Adding 'to' makes it easier to connect smoothly to the verb that follows it.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2859516
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
- Previous entry
- スンスン (sunsun)
- Next entry
- ぽそっと (posotto)