Entry
ムラムラ
muramura
This word describes a sudden, irresistible welling up of desire, urge, or emotion from within.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
ムラムラ is used to express a strong urge or emotion that suddenly wells up and is hard to suppress. In modern colloquial usage, it most frequently refers to sudden romantic or physical desire (getting turned on). Historically and in broader contexts, it also describes a sudden surge of anger or an intense impulsive urge to do something.
- sudden desire
- welling emotion
Sense Map
Arousal and Desire
Feeling a sudden, strong physical or romantic attraction.
ムラムラしてきた。
Welling Emotions
A sudden, intense surge of feelings like anger or other strong impulses from within.
怒りがムラムラと湧く。
Usage Note
How to Use
ムラムラする
Used as a verb (suru) to indicate the state of feeling a sudden urge or desire.
ムラムラくる
Indicates that the urge or feeling is suddenly coming over you.
ムラムラと + verb
Used as an adverb (often followed by verbs like 湧き上がる) to describe how an emotion is welling up.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ムラムラする
to feel a sudden urge
ムラムラしてくる
to start feeling a desire
怒りがムラムラと
anger suddenly welling up
ムラムラと湧き上がる
welling up irresistibly
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Romantic/physical desire | caution | Very common in modern slang but has intimate connotations, so be careful who you say it around. |
| Welling anger | neutral | A more literary or older usage, usually paired with verbs that mean 'to boil up' or 'to well up'. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
むかっと むかっと / nearby | Use when describing a sudden feeling of anger, annoyance, or nausea. | Unlike ムラムラ, which can be about desire or deep urges, ムカッと is strictly for taking offense, feeling angry, or feeling physically sick. | ムカッとくる |
ぐっと ぐっと / nearby | Use when a strong emotion suddenly grabs your heart, often moving or touching you deeply. | ぐっと is often about being emotionally moved or forcefully pulling, whereas ムラムラ is an internal welling up of an urge or desire. | ぐっとくる |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using this word in the workplace to show enthusiasm for a project.
Never use this for professional enthusiasm as it often implies romantic or physical arousal. Use やる気 (yaruki) or 燃える (moeru) instead.
Using it to describe sudden weather changes like rain.
This word exclusively describes human internal emotions and urges, not external events.
Examples
Examples
映画を見ていて、ムラムラしてきた。
映画(えいが)を見(み)ていて、ムラムラしてきた。
I suddenly felt a surge of desire while watching the movie.
FigurativeUsed to describe a sudden surge of physical or romantic desire.
昔の失敗を思い出して、ムラムラと怒りが湧いてきた。
昔(むかし)の失敗(しっぱい)を思(おも)い出(だ)して、ムラムラと怒(いか)りが湧(わ)いてきた。
Remembering past failures, a surge of anger suddenly welled up inside me.
FigurativeUsed to describe anger suddenly and intensely welling up.
勉強中に、ムラムラと遊びに行きたい衝動に駆られた。
勉強中(べんきょうちゅう)に、ムラムラと遊(あそ)びに行(い)きたい衝動(しょうどう)に駆(か)られた。
While studying, I was suddenly struck by an irresistible urge to go out and play.
FigurativeExpresses a sudden, strong impulsive urge to perform an action.
彼は時々、ムラムラと旅に出たくなるらしい。
彼(かれ)は時々(ときどき)、ムラムラと旅(たび)に出(で)たくなるらしい。
I hear he sometimes gets sudden, strong urges to go on a trip.
FigurativeShows a spontaneous inner drive that is hard to resist.
ムラムラする気持ちを抑えるのが大変だった。
ムラムラする気持(きも)ちを抑(おさ)えるのが大変(たいへん)だった。
It was hard to suppress that welling urge.
FigurativeRefers to the difficulty of controlling sudden strong feelings.
Similar Words
ムカッと
mukatto
Both describe sudden emotion, but ムカッと is specifically for annoyance, anger, or feeling sick.
Questions
Is it appropriate to use ムラムラ with coworkers?
No. The word is highly informal and is frequently associated with romantic or physical urges, making it unprofessional and potentially inappropriate in the workplace.
Does it always mean sexual arousal?
Not always. While that is its most common meaning in modern slang, it is also used in novels or older texts to describe a sudden spike in anger or an intense impulsive urge to do something.
How is it different from ドキドキ?
ドキドキ describes a pounding heart from nervousness, fear, or excitement. ムラムラ describes an internal urge, drive, or desire that suddenly swells up inside you.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1632710
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
- Previous entry
- むしゃくしゃ (mushakusha)
- Next entry
- もしゃもしゃ (moshamosha)