Entry
ニマニマ
nimanima
A soft, secretive, or self-satisfied smile.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
A mimetic word describing a soft, secretive, or self-satisfied smile, often when someone is privately amused or remembering something pleasant.
- smiling to oneself
- secretly amused
Sense Map
Secretive or self-satisfied smile
Smiling to oneself while remembering something pleasant or feeling a sense of satisfaction.
ニマニマしながらスマホを見る。
Quiet amusement
Grinning softly because something is privately amusing or funny.
思い出し笑いでニマニマする。
Usage Note
How to Use
ニマニマする
Used as a verb with suru to describe the action of smiling secretly to oneself.
ニマニマしながら
Combines with nagara to show that someone is doing another action like reading or walking while smiling to themselves.
ニマニマと
Used as an adverb modifying another verb, such as looking or watching with a self-satisfied smile.
How to Use
Common Phrases
一人でニマニマする
to smile to oneself alone
スマホを見てニマニマする
to smile to oneself while looking at a smartphone
ニマニマ笑う
to smile a secretive smile
ずっとニマニマしている
to be constantly grinning to oneself
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Looking at a phone | neutral | Often describes the face of someone texting a crush or reading a funny post. |
| Daydreaming | neutral | Used when someone is lost in happy thoughts and unconsciously smiling. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
にやにや にやにや / similar | Use ニヤニヤ when the grin is smirking, creepy, suggestive, or mocking. | ニマニマ is softer and usually just about personal happiness, whereas ニヤニヤ often implies unpleasantness or knowing something the other person does not. | 相手の失敗を見てニヤニヤする。 |
にっこり にっこり / contrast | Use にっこり for a bright, friendly, and open smile directed at someone else. | ニマニマ is private and directed inward, while にっこり is sociable and directed outward. | にっこり挨拶する。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ニマニマ to describe a polite smile to a customer or boss.
ニマニマ is a private, secretive smile. For a polite or friendly smile, use にっこり or 微笑む.
Confusing it with ニヤニヤ.
While both mean smiling without laughing out loud, ニヤニヤ has a negative, creepy, or mocking nuance, whereas ニマニマ is usually just harmless personal amusement.
Examples
Examples
彼はスマホの画面を見ながら、一人でニマニマしている。
かれはスマホのがめんをみながら、ひとりでニマニマしている。
He is grinning to himself while looking at his smartphone screen.
VisualDescribes looking happy while texting or reading.
昨日のデートを思い出して、思わずニマニマしてしまった。
きのうのデートをおもいだして、おもわずニマニマしてしまった。
I couldn't help but smile to myself remembering yesterday's date.
LiteralOften used when recalling a pleasant memory.
彼女は何か良いことがあったのか、朝からずっとニマニマと笑っている。
かのじょはなにかよいことがあったのか、あさからずっとニマニマとわらっている。
She has been smiling to herself all morning, as if something good happened.
VisualExpresses a prolonged state of happiness.
ニマニマするのを我慢しようとしたが、顔がにやけてしまった。
ニマニマするのをがまんしようとしたが、かおがにやけてしまった。
I tried to hold back my grin, but my face broke into a smile anyway.
LiteralTrying to suppress a happy expression but failing.
テストで満点を取って、帰り道はニマニマしながら歩いた。
テストでまんてんをとって、かえりみちはニマニマしながらあるいた。
After getting a perfect score on the test, I walked home grinning to myself.
VisualWalking while feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.
Similar Words
ニヤニヤ
niyaniya
ニヤニヤ means to smirk or grin continuously, often indicating self-satisfaction, harboring a secret, or thinking about something funny. A smirk or grin that often carries a negative, creepy, or mocking nuance.
にっこり
nikkori
To smile brightly, sweetly, or broadly in a momentary action. A bright, friendly, and open smile directed at someone else.
Questions
Is ニマニマ a negative word?
Not necessarily. It just describes a private, self-satisfied smile. However, because the person is smiling to themselves, onlookers might find it slightly weird.
What is the difference between ニマニマ and ニヤニヤ?
ニマニマ is usually harmless self-amusement. ニヤニヤ is a smirk, often creepy, suggestive, or mocking.
Can I use ニマニマ when asking someone to smile for a photo?
No, if you want someone to smile for a photo, say にっこりして or 笑って. ニマニマ is not a posed smile.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2849997
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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