Entry
ぽい
poi
This word describes the action of lightly tossing or discarding something without a second thought, often used for carelessly throwing away trash.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
ぽい (poi) is a mimetic word that conveys the light, casual motion of tossing or throwing something aside. It often carries a nuance of nonchalance or carelessness, making it the standard word used when talking about littering or throwing away small items without caring where they land.
- Tossing carelessly
- Discarding nonchalantly
Sense Map
Careless Discarding
Used when throwing away small items or trash carelessly.
ゴミをぽいと捨てる。
Casual Tossing
Used when tossing something lightly to someone or tossing something aside without overthinking.
鍵をぽいっと投げる。
Usage Note
How to Use
ぽいと + verb
Acts as an adverb to describe throwing or tossing something lightly and casually.
ぽいっと + verb
ポイ + noun
Used to form compounds like ポイ捨て, which specifically refers to littering or carelessly throwing away trash.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ゴミをぽいと捨てる
to throw away trash carelessly
ポイ捨てする
to litter
ぽいっと投げる
to toss casually
ぽいと渡す
to casually hand over or toss
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Littering | negative | Strongly associated with littering on the street, which is frowned upon. |
| Tossing an object to a friend | neutral | Shows a casual, relaxed attitude without any negative connotations. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ぽいぽい ぽいぽい / similar | When repeatedly tossing or throwing away light items. | ぽい is usually a single toss, whereas ポイポイ implies a continuous or repeated action of throwing things away. | ゴミをポイポイ捨てる。 |
ぽんと ぽんと / similar | When placing or tossing something lightly, often with a soft tapping sound. | ポンと focuses more on the light contact or sound, and does not necessarily carry the careless or discarding nuance of ぽい. | 肩をポンと叩く。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ぽい to describe throwing a heavy object like a bowling ball.
ぽい is exclusively for light, small objects. Throwing heavy items requires different vocabulary.
Assuming ぽい always means throwing away in a negative sense.
While often used for littering, it can also just mean casually tossing a small item, like keys, to a friend.
Examples
Examples
彼は道端にゴミをぽいっと捨てた。
かれ は みちばた に ゴミ を ぽいっと すてた。
He carelessly tossed the trash on the side of the road.
LiteralA typical example describing the act of littering.
読み終わった雑誌を机の上にぽいと投げた。
よみおわった ざっし を つくえ の うえ に ぽいと なげた。
I casually tossed the magazine I finished reading onto the desk.
VisualShows the action of carelessly tossing a light object.
カバンから鍵を取り出して、彼にぽいっと渡した。
カバン から かぎ を とりだして、かれ に ぽいっと わたした。
I took the keys out of my bag and lightly tossed them to him.
VisualThis word can also be used for a small toss as a way of handing something over.
いらなくなった書類をゴミ箱へポイと捨てる。
いらなくなった しょるい を ゴミばこ へ ポイと すてる。
Tossing unneeded documents lightly into the trash can.
LiteralWriting in katakana is often used to emphasize the effect.
彼女は嫌な思い出をぽいっと手放した。
かのじょ は いやな おもいで を ぽいっと てばなした。
She casually let go of her unpleasant memories.
FigurativeA figurative use for letting go of abstract things like feelings or memories.
Similar Words
ポイポイ
poipoi
The action of tossing or throwing things lightly and repeatedly, often without much thought. Used for the repetitive action of throwing things away.
ポンと
ponto
A light tapping or popping sound, or doing an action casually without hesitation. Used for lightly placing or tapping something.
Questions
What is the difference between ぽい and ポイ捨て?
ぽい is an adverb describing the casual manner of throwing, while ポイ捨て is a specific noun meaning the act of littering.
Can I use ぽい for throwing a baseball?
No, throwing a baseball requires effort and aim. ぽい is for casual, effortless tossing.
Why is it sometimes written in katakana?
Katakana is often used for mimetic words to highlight the sound or action visually, especially in manga or casual texts.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2844633
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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