Entry
ガビガビ
gabigabi
Describes the state of something originally wet or sticky that has dried out and become unpleasantly stiff or crusty.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
Gabigabi is a mimetic word used to describe a rough, stiff, and hardened texture resulting from drying out. It is typically applied to things that were originally soft, wet, or sticky—such as cooked rice, mud, glue, paint, or fabric—that have lost their moisture and turned crusty. The heavy voiced consonants "g" and "b" emphasize that this stiffened state is significant and generally unpleasant.
- Rice or food substances that have dried and hardened.
- Fabric or objects that have become stiff after drying.
Sense Map
Food & Substances (Dried & Crusty)
Describes leftover food (like rice) or sticky substances (like glue or paint) that have dried into a hard, crusty state.
ご飯がガビガビになる。
Fabric & Skin (Rough & Stiff)
Describes fabrics, towels, or skin that have lost moisture and feel unpleasantly stiff or rough to the touch.
タオルがガビガビに乾く。
Usage Note
How to Use
ガビガビになる
Means 'to become stiff/crusty' due to drying.
ガビガビだ
Used at the end of a sentence to state that something is in a crusty, dried-out condition.
ガビガビな + noun
ガビガビの + noun
How to Use
Common Phrases
ご飯がガビガビ
dried and crusty rice
ガビガビになった筆
a paintbrush that has become stiff (from dried paint)
泥でガビガビ
stiff with dried mud
ガビガビのタオル
a stiff, crusty towel
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Leftover food (e.g., rice in a cooker) | Negative | Describes rice that has been left out and hardened into unappetizing crusts. |
| Clothing or towels | Negative | Towels dried under the hot sun or caked with mud that feel terribly stiff against the skin. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ごわごわ ごわごわ / similar | For fabric, hair, or materials that feel naturally stiff, coarse, or starchy. | Does not necessarily imply that it was wet/sticky and then dried out like gabigabi does. | ごわごわした布 |
ぱさぱさ ぱさぱさ / similar | For food (bread, meat) or hair that has lost its moisture, making it feel dry, brittle, or unappetizing. | Focuses on a crumbly or lifeless dryness rather than a hard, crusty texture. | パサパサのパン |
からから からから / similar | For a state of being completely parched or bone-dry (e.g., soil, throat). | Focuses on the total absence of moisture rather than the resulting crusty texture. | 喉がからからだ |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it to describe dry weather or dry air.
Use kansou (乾燥) or karakara. Gabigabi is strictly for physical objects that have crusted over.
Using it as a compliment for crispy food.
Gabigabi always carries a negative nuance (unpleasantly dried out). For crispy food, use sakusaku or karikari.
Examples
Examples
炊飯器に入れっぱなしにしていたご飯が、ガビガビになってしまった。
すいはんきにいれっぱなしにしていたごはんが、ガビガビになってしまった。
The rice left in the rice cooker has dried out and become crusty.
VisualDescribes rice that has lost its moisture and hardened.
雨の日に遊んだ後、靴についた泥が乾いてガビガビだ。
あめのひにあそんだあと、くつについたどろがかわいてガビガビだ。
After playing on a rainy day, the mud on the shoes dried and became crusty.
VisualShows how wet mud turns into a hard crust.
絵の具を洗わずに放置したので、筆がガビガビに固まっている。
えのぐをあらわずにほうちしたので、ふでがガビガビにかたまっている。
Because I left it without washing, the paintbrush has hardened into a stiff crust.
VisualA naturally soft object (brush bristles) becoming stiff due to dried sticky liquid.
汗をかいたままシャツを乾かしたら、生地がガビガビになった。
あせをかいたままシャツをかわかしたら、きじがガビガビになった。
When I dried the sweat-soaked shirt, the fabric became stiff.
LiteralDescribes fabric that has lost its softness and feels rough against the skin.
接着剤がはみ出した部分が、乾いてがびがびの塊になっている。
せっちゃくざいがはみだしたぶぶんが、かわいてがびがびのかたまりになっている。
The part where the glue spilled out has dried into a hard, crusty lump.
LiteralExample using gabigabi (written in hiragana) for a sticky liquid that has solidified.
Similar Words
ごわごわ
gowagowa
Describes the texture of something—typically fabric or hair—that feels stiff, coarse, and inflexible to the touch. For stiff/rough things not necessarily caused by drying.
パサパサ
pasapasa
Describes the state of lacking moisture or natural oils, resulting in an unpleasantly dry or coarse texture. Dry and crumbly/lifeless, not crusty.
からから
karakara
Karakara describes a state of being completely dry or entirely empty, a light rattling sound made by hard objects, or a loud and cheerful laugh. Completely parched without any moisture.
Questions
Can gabigabi be used for dry skin?
Yes, it can describe skin that feels very rough, stiff, or encrusted due to severe dryness or dried dirt.
What is the difference between karakara and gabigabi?
Karakara means completely dried out and devoid of moisture, while gabigabi focuses on the crusty, hardened texture that forms after a wet or sticky substance dries.
Does gabigabi have a positive meaning?
No, it almost always carries a negative connotation because the object has lost its original softness or moisture and become unpleasant.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2755890
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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