Entry
ごそっと
gosotto
Describes a large mass or amount of something being removed, falling out, or disappearing all at once.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
An adverb used when a significant amount or a cluster of things is detached, lost, or taken away simultaneously, leaving the original space noticeably empty or depleted.
- Falling out or coming off in a clump
- Being taken or disappearing entirely
Sense Map
Physical Detachment
Used when something attached or embedded (like hair, teeth, or soil) comes off in a large clump or quantity all at once.
髪がごそっと抜ける
Taken Away or Disappearing
Used when a huge amount of items, money, or people suddenly vanish, decrease, or are taken away en masse.
お客がごそっと減った
Usage Note
How to Use
ごそっと + Verb
Placed directly before verbs of removal, loss, or taking to emphasize that the action occurred to a large cluster or amount all at once.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ごそっと抜ける
to fall out in clumps (e.g., hair)
ごそっと取れる
to come off in a big chunk
ごそっと持っていく
to take away en masse
ごそっと減る
to decrease drastically
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hair or teeth | negative / shocking | Often used to vividly describe the alarming experience of losing hair or teeth in clumps. |
| Theft or loss of funds | negative | Highlights the devastating scale of a loss when someone takes an entire stash. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ごっそり ごっそり / similar | Highly interchangeable. ごっそり (gossori) might sometimes emphasize the totality of the removal ('cleaned out completely') slightly more. | Both are synonyms, but ごそっと has a slightly more physical, action-oriented ring to it regarding the mass being removed. | 財産をごっそり奪われた。 |
すっかり すっかり / similar | Use すっかり for an abstract or mental state of completion, like completely forgetting or fully recovering. | Do not use ごそっと to say you 'completely forgot' something. It requires a physical mass, quantity, or number. | 約束をすっかり忘れた。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ごそっと to mean 'completely' for mental actions, like 'I completely forgot'.
Use すっかり (sukkari) for abstract completion. ごそっと is for a physical or quantifiable mass being removed.
Using ごそっと when losing a single small item.
The word inherently implies a 'clump', 'cluster', or 'large amount'.
Examples
Examples
櫛を入れたら、髪がごそっと抜けた。
くしを いれたら、 かみが ごそっと ぬけた。
When I combed my hair, it fell out in a large clump.
VisualShows hair falling out in a terrifyingly large mass at once.
泥棒に宝石をごそっと盗まれた。
どろぼうに ほうせきを ごそっと ぬすまれた。
A thief stole a huge chunk of my jewelry.
LiteralEmphasizes that a large stash of valuables was taken simultaneously.
新しい店ができて、うちの客がごそっと減った。
あたらしい みせが できて、 うちの きゃくが ごそっと へった。
Since the new store opened, our customer numbers dropped drastically en masse.
FigurativeUsed for a quantifiable number of people (customers) disappearing in a large block.
スコップで土をごそっとすくう。
すこっぷで つちを ごそっと すくう。
Scooping out a large chunk of dirt with a shovel.
VisualIllustrates the action of taking a physical chunk out at once.
今年の予算がごそっと削られた。
ことしの よさんが ごそっと けずられた。
This year's budget was slashed by a massive chunk.
FigurativeDepicts a massive reduction of a numerical value (budget).
Similar Words
ごっそり
gossori
Describes a situation where a large amount of something is completely taken away, removed, or lost, leaving a noticeable void. Almost identical to gosotto, often emphasizing everything being cleaned out.
すっかり
sukkari
Indicates that a state has changed 100% or that an action has been carried out with absolutely nothing left behind. Used for abstract states of completion like forgetting (unlike the physical mass of gosotto).
Questions
Are ごそっと and ごっそり the same?
Yes, they are very similar and largely interchangeable. ごっそり sometimes feels like it emphasizes that everything was 'completely cleaned out,' while ごそっと focuses on the action of a large mass moving at once.
Can I use ごそっと for non-physical things?
Yes, as long as it involves a 'quantity' or 'mass' that can be visualized as a chunk. For example, a budget being slashed or a massive drop in customers.
Is this word formal?
No, it is a casual, spoken-language term. It is best avoided in highly formal or academic writing.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2795200
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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