Entry
にょきにょき
nyokinyoki
Describes things vigorously sprouting, shooting upward, or growing rapidly one after another.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
A mimetic word (gitaigo) that captures the visual appearance of things popping out, sprouting, or shooting upward in quick succession. It emphasizes rapid, highly visible vertical growth, often used for plants, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, or new buildings.
- Rapid vertical growth of plants or biological features
- Successive construction of tall buildings
Sense Map
Rapid Sprouting (Nature/Biological)
Used when plants, mushrooms, weeds, or horns visibly and rapidly shoot up from the surface.
キノコがにょきにょき生える。
Popping Up (Buildings/Structures)
Used when tall structures like buildings, towers, or poles are built one after another, rapidly changing the landscape.
ビルがにょきにょき建つ。
Usage Note
How to Use
にょきにょき + verb
Acts directly as an adverb modifying verbs of growth, emergence, or construction (like 生える, 伸びる, 建つ).
にょきにょきと + verb
Adding the particle と adds a slightly more descriptive, narrative feel to the manner in which things are sprouting.
How to Use
Common Phrases
にょきにょき生える
to sprout up rapidly
にょきにょき伸びる
to grow tall quickly
にょきにょき出てくる
to pop out sequentially
にょきにょきと建つ
to be built one after another (buildings)
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Plants and mushrooms | Neutral | Very common. Emphasizes the surprising vitality and speed of the sprouting. |
| Cityscape and buildings | Neutral to slightly negative | Describes rapid urban development, sometimes implying that the sudden cluster of new buildings feels a bit overwhelming. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
すくすく すくすく / similar | Used for the healthy, steady growth and development of living things, especially children or cherished plants. | すくすく focuses on healthy development over time, whereas にょきにょき strictly focuses on the visual action of physically popping up or shooting upward quickly. | すくすく育つ |
めきめき めきめき / similar | Used for rapid, remarkable progress or growth, often applied to abstract things like skills, ability, or strength. | メキメキ is commonly used for intangible improvement, while にょきにょき is only for physical, vertical elongation. | メキメキ上達する |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using にょきにょき to praise a child growing up healthily.
Use すくすく (sukusuku) instead. Describing a child with にょきにょき sounds comical, as if their limbs are elongating rapidly like a bamboo shoot.
Using にょきにょき for rapid language skill improvement.
Use メキメキ (mekimeki) for improving skills. にょきにょき is strictly for physical vertical growth.
Examples
Examples
春になると、裏山からタケノコがにょきにょき生えてきます。
はるになると、うらやまからタケノコがにょきにょきはえてきます。
When spring comes, bamboo shoots rapidly sprout up from the mountain behind.
VisualThe most classic usage; describes bamboo shoots shooting upward quickly.
雨が降った後、庭にキノコがにょきにょきと出てきた。
あめがふったあと、にわにキノコがにょきにょきとでてきた。
After the rain, mushrooms popped out all over the yard.
VisualShows the rapid, sequential appearance of mushrooms overnight.
駅前が開発されて、高層ビルがにょきにょき建ち始めた。
えきまえがかいはつされて、こうそうビルがにょきにょきたちはじめた。
The area in front of the station was developed, and high-rise buildings started popping up one after another.
VisualUsed for tall, man-made structures being built in succession.
夏の間、庭の雑草がにょきにょきと伸びて困っている。
なつのあいだ、にわのざっそうがにょきにょきとのびてこまっている。
During the summer, the weeds in the garden grew up rapidly, which is a problem.
VisualCan have a slightly complaining tone when describing something growing excessively.
そのモンスターの頭からは、鋭い角がにょきにょき生えていた。
そのモンスターのあたまからは、するどいつのがにょきにょきはえていた。
Sharp horns were sprouting rapidly from the monster's head.
VisualOften used in fiction for horns or claws suddenly elongating.
Similar Words
すくすく
sukusuku
Sukusuku describes the healthy, rapid, and unhindered growth of living things such as children or plants. Used for healthy, steady growth of children or plants.
メキメキ
mekimeki
Mekimeki describes something improving or growing at a remarkably rapid pace, or the loud creaking sound of rigid objects like wood breaking under pressure. Used for rapid improvement in skills or strength.
Questions
Does にょきにょき describe a sound?
No. It is a visual mimetic (gitaigo), meaning it describes the silent visual process of things shooting up, not the sound they make.
Can I use it for cars appearing one after another on the street?
No. にょきにょき strongly requires vertical (upward) movement. For horizontal sequence, use words like どんどん (dondon) or 次々と (tsugitsugi to).
Is it used for hair growing?
Usually no, unless you are describing a comical scene where individual strands of hair suddenly pop straight up out of someone's head.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2518040
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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