Entry
パサパサ
pasapasa
Describes the state of lacking moisture or natural oils, resulting in an unpleasantly dry or coarse texture.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This term is commonly used for food that has lost its desirable moisture (such as stale bread, dry cake, or overcooked meat) making it hard to swallow. It is also frequently used to describe hair that is damaged, lacks natural oils, and feels coarse to the touch.
- Unpleasantly dry food
- Damaged, dry hair
Sense Map
Dry Food
Used for food that has lost water or fat, making its texture crumbly, hard to swallow, or tasteless.
パンがパサパサしている
Dry Hair
Used for hair or animal fur that lacks natural oils, looking dull and feeling coarse.
髪がパサパサになる
Usage Note
How to Use
パサパサする
Used as a verb to state that something feels dry right now.
パサパサしている
Expresses an ongoing state of being dried out.
パサパサの + Noun
Modifies a noun to describe its dry texture, like bread or hair.
パサパサな + Noun
An alternative na-adjective form to modify nouns.
パサパサに + Verb
Used with change-of-state verbs (like naru) to express the process of drying out.
How to Use
Common Phrases
パサパサの髪
dry hair
パサパサになる
to become dry
パサパサしたパン
stale bread
パサパサに乾燥する
to dry out completely
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Food (Bread, Meat, Cake) | Negative | Indicates the food is unappetizing because it has been left out too long or overcooked. |
| Hair | Negative | Indicates hair that is damaged, poorly maintained, or over-processed. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
かさかさ かさかさ / similar | Use for dry and rough surfaces, such as human skin, dry leaves, or paper. | Not used for stale food or damaged hair. It focuses on the outer surface lacking water, rather than the internal loss of moisture in food/hair. | カサカサの肌 |
ぼさぼさ ぼさぼさ / similar | Use to describe hair that is messy, uncombed, or out of shape. | Focuses on the messy shape or volume of the hair, not the physical dry texture or lack of nutrients. | ボサボサの髪 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using this word for dry skin.
For dry, flaky skin, use カサカサ (kasakasa), not パサパサ (pasapasa).
Using this word for dry weather or air.
For dry weather, climate, or air, use 乾燥 (kansou) or からから (karakara).
Examples
Examples
髪の毛が傷んでパサパサになった。
かみのけが いたんで パサパサに なった。
My hair got damaged and became dry and brittle.
VisualUsed for hair that has lost its natural moisture due to damage.
このパンは乾燥してパサパサしている。
この パンは かんそうして パサパサしている。
This bread has dried out and is stale.
LiteralDescribes old bread that has lost its softness.
パサパサの鶏肉は食べにくい。
パサパサの とりにくは たべにくい。
Dried-out chicken meat is hard to eat.
LiteralUsed for lean meat that has been overcooked.
パサパサなクッキーを牛乳と一緒に食べる。
パサパサな クッキーを ぎゅうにゅうと いっしょに たべる。
Eat dry cookies together with milk.
LiteralShows the texture of food that absorbs moisture from the mouth.
雨に濡れた後、髪がパサパサする。
あめに ぬれたあと、 かみが パサパサする。
After getting wet in the rain, my hair feels dry and frizzy.
VisualUsed as a verb to express the sensation of lacking softness.
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. Both can describe hair, but bosabosa focuses on the messy shape.
かさかさ
kasakasa
かさかさ (kasakasa) is a Japanese onomatopoeia used to describe the light rustling sound of dry objects like leaves or paper, as well as the physical state of being dry and rough, such as dry skin. Both mean dry, but kasakasa is used for skin or leaves, not food/hair.
Questions
Can I use pasapasa for dry weather?
No. This word is specific to items with internal moisture like food or hair. For air or weather, use kansou.
What is the difference between pasapasa and kasakasa?
Pasapasa is for stale bread or dry hair, while kasakasa is for flaky skin or the rustling sound of dry leaves.
Does this word always have a negative meaning?
Yes, mostly. It implies a loss of desirable quality, moisture, or oils.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1101400
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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