Entry
わらわら
warawara
Describes the restless, unorganized gathering or moving of many entities, such as swarming crowds or squirming bugs.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This word visually describes a large number of individuals (people, small animals, or insects) moving, gathering, or emerging together in a somewhat chaotic or unorganized manner. It can translate to 'bustling' or 'swarming' for people, and 'squirming' or 'creepy crawly' when applied to insects.
- Crowds of people gathering or moving about.
- Swarms of insects or small creatures squirming or appearing.
Sense Map
Human Crowds
Used when a large group of people, students, or children gather or move together in an unorganized fashion.
人がわらわらと集まってきた。
Insects / Small Animals
Describes the sight of many insects or small creatures squirming, crawling, or emerging, often evoking a creepy-crawly feeling.
虫がわらわらと出てきた。
Usage Note
How to Use
わらわらと + Verb
The most common pattern. Used with verbs of motion, appearance, or gathering like 集まる (to gather) or 出てくる (to emerge).
わらわら + Verb
Same as above but omitting the particle と, which feels slightly more casual.
わらわらする
Used as a verb to describe the state of many entities squirming, swarming, or milling about.
How to Use
Common Phrases
わらわらと集まる
to gather in large numbers / to swarm together
わらわらと湧いてくる
to come swarming out / to spring up in numbers
人がわらわらと
people swarming / crowding
わらわら出てくる
to pour out in crowds / bugs coming out
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Human crowds | Neutral to Positive | Indicates active, unorganized gathering. Mostly neutral, and can be cute when referring to toddlers or small animals. |
| Insects | Negative | Used for swarms of bugs squirming or crawling out. Strongly conveys a visual that triggers a 'creepy crawly' response. |
| Internet comments | Neutral to Casual | A figurative use describing users or comments swarming a thread or video in huge numbers. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ばたばた ばたばた / similar | Used for rushing around noisily or being very busy, often by one or a few people. | わらわら focuses on the sheer number of entities gathering or swarming visually, rather than the noisy footsteps or individual busyness. | バタバタと走り回る |
むずむず むずむず / similar | Used for an internal itchy, impatient, or creepy feeling on one's body or in one's mind. | わらわら describes the external visual movement of the things themselves (like bugs swarming), which might cause you to feel ムズムズ, but わらわら is not the internal feeling itself. | 鼻がムズムズする |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using わらわら to describe one person running around busy.
わらわら requires a large number of entities. To describe a single person rushing around, use バタバタ (batabata).
Using わらわら to mean 'I have the chills/creeps'.
わらわら describes the bugs moving. To describe your own creepy sensation, use ぞくぞく (zokuzoku) or ムズムズ (muzumuzu).
Examples
Examples
駅の改札から人がわらわらと出てきた。
えきのかいさつから ひとが わらわらと でてきた。
People came swarming out of the station ticket gates.
VisualShows a crowd of people continuously emerging.
石をどかすと、虫がわらわらと逃げていった。
いしをどかすと、むしが わらわらと にげていった。
When I moved the rock, bugs scurried away in a swarm.
VisualA typical usage for bugs that gives a creepy-crawly vibe.
イベント会場に人がわらわらと集まってきた。
イベントかいじょうに ひとが わらわらと あつまってきたい。
People swarmed together at the event venue.
VisualFocuses on the gathering process of many individuals.
チャイムが鳴ると、生徒たちが教室からわらわら出てきた。
チャイムがなると、せいとたちが きょうしつから わらわら でてきた。
When the bell rang, the students came flocking out of the classrooms.
VisualShows a casual and neutral crowd without negative connotations.
動画がバズって、コメントがわらわらと湧いてきた。
どうががバズって、コメントが わらわらと わいてきた。
The video went viral, and comments sprang up in a swarm.
FigurativeA figurative internet slang use for things suddenly appearing in large numbers.
Similar Words
バタバタ
batabata
Batabata describes a state of being frantically busy and flustered, or the physical sound of heavy flapping, clattering footsteps, or things falling in quick succession. バタバタ is for one or few people rushing noisily; わらわら is for large numbers swarming together.
ムズムズ
muzumuzu
A ticklish or crawling sensation of itchiness, or a psychological restlessness and eager urge to take action. わらわら describes the objects moving, while ムズムズ is the internal itchy or creepy feeling.
ぞくぞく
zokuzoku
ぞくぞく describes the physical sensation of shivering or a chill going down one's spine due to cold, fever, fear, or intense excitement.
Questions
Can I use warawara for a single person?
No. わらわら strictly requires multiple entities acting as a crowd or swarm.
Does warawara always mean bugs?
No. It is very commonly used for people gathering as well. The context dictates whether it means people flocking or bugs swarming.
Is warawara a negative word?
Not inherently. It is negative when describing insect infestations, but completely neutral when describing a crowd of students leaving a school.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1013320
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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