Entry
ぎろぎろ
girogiro
Describes the act of staring sharply, intensely, or glaringly at someone or something.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This word illustrates a sharp, piercing, and often intimidating gaze. It usually carries a negative connotation, implying that the person staring is suspicious, hostile, angry, or over-scrutinizing.
- Hostile or suspicious glaring
- Intimidating piercing eyes
Sense Map
Hostile Stare
Looking at someone with strong suspicion, anger, or hostility.
人をぎろぎろ見る。
Piercing Eyes
Eyes opened wide and shining with a sharp, intimidating light.
目をぎろぎろさせる。
Usage Note
How to Use
ぎろぎろと + verb
Used as an adverb to describe the manner of an action, usually looking or staring.
ぎろぎろ + verb
A more casual variant of 'ぎろぎろと', with the exact same meaning and function.
ぎろぎろする
Used as a verb to mean 'to glare' or 'to have a piercing stare'.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ぎろぎろと見る
to glare at / to stare intently
目をぎろぎろさせる
to make one's eyes glare / to look piercingly
ぎろぎろ睨む
to glare fiercely
辺りをぎろぎろ見回す
to look around suspiciously
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Staring at a person | negative | Highly impolite and intimidating; makes the other person feel threatened or judged. |
| Looking around a room | negative | Implies the person looks suspicious themselves, as if searching for something with ill intent. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
じろじろ じろじろ / similar | Used when staring fixedly out of curiosity or rudeness (e.g., examining someone's appearance). | Lacks the outright hostility, anger, or sharp suspicion of ぎろぎろ. | 人の顔をじろじろ見る。 |
ぎらぎら ぎらぎら / similar | Used for glaringly bright lights (like the sun) or intense, overpowering ambition. | Focuses on dazzling light or intensity, not specifically the physical act of staring at someone. | 太陽がギラギラ照りつける。 |
きょとん きょとん / opposite | Used when staring blankly in puzzlement, confusion, or innocent lack of understanding. | The exact opposite of the sharp, focused, and aggressive stare of ぎろぎろ. | きょとんとする。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ぎろぎろ to describe the glaring sun.
Use ギラギラ (giragira) for dazzling sunlight. ぎろぎろ is strictly for eyes or gazes.
Using ぎろぎろ when staring at something because it is beautiful or interesting.
Use じっと (jitto) for staring intently or じろじろ (jirojiro) for staring out of curiosity. ぎろぎろ implies hostility or suspicion.
Examples
Examples
怪しい男が私をぎろぎろと見た。
あやしい おとこ が わたし を ぎろぎろ と みた。
The suspicious man glared at me.
VisualThe most common example showing a hostile or scary gaze.
暗闇の中で獣の目がぎろぎろ光っていた。
くらやみ の なか で けもの の め が ぎろぎろ ひかって いた。
The beast's eyes were shining sharply in the dark.
VisualDescribes the frightening gleam in the eyes of a wild animal.
その泥棒は辺りをぎろぎろ見回した。
その どろぼう は あたり を ぎろぎろ みまわした。
The thief looked around suspiciously.
VisualThe verb 見回す (mimawasu) is often used with this word to show someone is on guard or plotting something bad.
先生は怒って生徒たちをぎろぎろ睨んだ。
せんせい は おこって せいとたち を ぎろぎろ にらんだ。
The teacher angrily glared at the students.
VisualPaired with the verb 睨む (niramu, to glare) to emphasize anger.
彼は獲物を狙うように目をぎろぎろさせている。
かれ は えもの を ねらう よう に め を ぎろぎろ させて いる。
He has his eyes glaring as if aiming at his prey.
FigurativeUses the させる (saseru) pattern to describe the state of someone's eyes when intensely focused or having ill intent.
Similar Words
ギラギラ
giragira
Describes an intense, overwhelming brightness or a coarse, aggressive shine. Used for glaring light or intense energy, not for the physical act of staring.
ギラリ
girari
Describes a sharp, intimidating glare or a sudden intense flash of light reflecting off an object.
きょとん
kyoton
A mimetic word that describes a blank or puzzled facial expression when someone doesn't understand a situation or is taken by surprise. Staring blankly or innocently, the opposite of the sharp, hostile stare of ぎろぎろ.
じろじろ
jirojiro
To stare at someone or something fixedly and scrutinizingly, often in a rude or intrusive manner. Staring out of curiosity, lacking the hostility or threat present in ぎろぎろ.
Questions
What is the difference between ぎろぎろ and じろじろ?
Both involve staring. じろじろ means staring fixedly, often rudely out of curiosity. ぎろぎろ is much sharper, implying anger, intimidation, or suspicion.
Can I use ぎろぎろ to describe a bright light?
No. While it translates to 'glaringly' in English, in Japanese, it only applies to the glare of eyes. For a glaring light, use ギラギラ.
Is it okay to use ぎろぎろ when looking at a difficult math problem?
No, it implies you are angry at the math problem or suspicious of it. To stare intently while thinking, use じっと (jitto).
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2453870
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
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- Review notes
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- Active language
- English
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