Entry
もじゃもじゃ
mojamoja
Describes hair, fur, or a beard that is thick, tangled, and unkempt.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
Mojamoja is a mimetic word used to describe a dense, tangled, and overgrown mass of hair, fur, or thread. It commonly paints a picture of a bushy, scraggly beard or a head of heavily tousled, unkempt hair that needs brushing or cutting.
- tousled hair
- scraggly beard
- shaggy fur
Sense Map
Thick and Unkempt Hair
Used to describe head hair that is dense, tangled, curly, or heavily disheveled.
もじゃもじゃの髪
Scraggly Beard
Describes a bushy, overgrown, and untrimmed beard.
もじゃもじゃなひげ
Shaggy Fur
Used for animals with thick, dense, and often curly or unkempt fur.
もじゃもじゃの犬
Usage Note
How to Use
もじゃもじゃの + noun
Used as a modifier for a noun (like hair or dog).
もじゃもじゃな + noun
Alternative modifier form for a noun (slightly less common than the 'no' form).
もじゃもじゃに + verb
Used as an adverb to describe the process of becoming tangled or messy.
もじゃもじゃする
Used as a verb to mean being in a thick and messy state, or feeling physically ticklish/irritated by bushy hair.
How to Use
Common Phrases
もじゃもじゃの髪
tousled, thick hair
もじゃもじゃなひげ
scraggly, bushy beard
もじゃもじゃの犬
shaggy dog
もじゃもじゃに絡まる
to become completely tangled up
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Describing a person's hair or beard | Negative | Implies an unkempt, untidy, or overgrown appearance. |
| Describing an animal's fur | Neutral / Positive | Often sounds cute and fluffy, like a shaggy sheepdog. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ぼさぼさ ぼさぼさ / similar | Use when hair is messy, dry, or lacks grooming, like morning bedhead. | Does not imply the hair is thick, curly, or forming a dense volume like mojamoja. | 寝起きで髪がボサボサだ。 |
くしゃくしゃ くしゃくしゃ / similar | Use when something is crumpled, wrinkled, or purposefully rumpled. | Focuses on the wrinkled state rather than natural unkempt overgrowth. | 髪をくしゃくしゃにする。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using it to describe a messy room.
Only use it for dense masses of fibers, like hair, fur, or yarn.
Confusing it with simple bedhead for straight hair.
Use bosabosa for straight unkempt hair; mojamoja heavily implies thickness or curliness.
Examples
Examples
髪をずっと切っていないので、もじゃもじゃになっている。
かみをずっときっていないので、もじゃもじゃになっている。
His hair has become a tangled mess because he hasn't cut it for a long time.
VisualShows the resulting state (ni natte iru) of the hair becoming a thick tangle.
公園に、もじゃもじゃの毛をした犬がいる。
こうえんに、もじゃもじゃのけをしたいぬがいる。
There is a dog with shaggy fur in the park.
VisualWhen used for animals, it often gives a cute, fluffy impression.
あの人はもじゃもじゃなひげを生やしている。
あのひとはもじゃもじゃなひげをはやしている。
That person has grown a bushy, scraggly beard.
VisualShows the na-adjective form. The beard is thick and unkempt.
箱の中で毛糸がもじゃもじゃに絡まっている。
はこのなかでけいとがもじゃもじゃにからまっている。
The yarn in the box is tangled up in a messy clump.
VisualThis describes something other than hair, but still a thick, stringy mass that is tangled.
ひげが伸びて、顔の周りがもじゃもじゃする。
ひげがのびて、かおのまわりがもじゃもじゃする。
My beard has grown out and the area around my face feels bushy and ticklish.
VisualThe 'suru' verb form can express both the bushy state itself and the ticklish physical sensation it causes on the skin.
Similar Words
ボサボサ
bosabosa
The state of hair or bristles being tangled and messy, or the act of idling away time doing nothing. Means messy, unbrushed hair, but not necessarily as thick, curly, or tangled as mojamoja.
くしゃくしゃ
kushakusha
A state of being crumpled, wrinkled, or messy, typically referring to surfaces like paper, clothes, or hair. Used for hair or things that are crumpled, rumpled, or purposefully messed up.
もしゃもしゃ
moshamosha
This word describes the texture of thick, tangled, and unkempt hair, fur, or fibers.
Questions
Can I use mojamoja for a messy room?
No, it specifically describes tangled masses like hair, fur, or yarn. For a messy room, use words like 'guchagucha'.
What is the difference between mojamoja and bosabosa?
Mojamoja implies a thick, tangled, often curly mass. Bosabosa means dry, untidy, or unbrushed hair, often describing straight hair.
Is mojamoja an adjective?
It functions primarily as an adverb or a no/na modifier. You will often see it as mojamoja no (noun) or mojamoja na (noun).
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1628720
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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