Entry
よろよろ
yoroyoro
Moving unsteadily, tottering, or staggering due to physical weakness, fatigue, or a loss of balance.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
This word vividly describes the heavy, unbalanced movements of a person or animal that lacks the strength to stand or walk properly. It is commonly used for someone who is exhausted, intoxicated, or has just sustained a physical blow.
- Tottering due to exhaustion or weakness.
- Staggering from intoxication.
- Losing balance after an impact.
Sense Map
Unsteady Walking
Heavy, unbalanced steps typically caused by fatigue, illness, or drunkenness.
酔っ払いがよろよろ歩く。
Losing Balance
Struggling to stay upright when standing or moving, often due to a heavy load or a sudden shock.
重い荷物でよろよろする。
Usage Note
How to Use
よろよろする
Acts as a verb meaning to stagger, totter, or feel unsteady on one's feet.
よろよろと + verb
Used as an adverb to describe how an action (like walking or standing up) is performed in a staggering manner.
よろよろ + verb
Similar to the pattern with 'to', but sounds slightly more casual and direct.
How to Use
Common Phrases
よろよろと歩く
to walk staggeringly
足がよろよろする
one's legs are unsteady
よろよろと立ち上がる
to stand up totteringly
よろよろ倒れる
to collapse staggeringly
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Drunkenness | neutral | A very common word to describe the unsteady, zigzagging walk of someone who has had too much to drink. |
| Extreme fatigue | neutral | Used when someone's legs are giving out from exhaustion, such as after a marathon or hard labor. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ふらふら ふらふら / similar | When someone feels dizzy, lightheaded, or is swaying aimlessly. | Yoroyoro focuses on the heavy, stumbling steps of legs giving out, while furafura often originates from a dizzy head or a general feeling of weakness. | 熱でふらふらする。 |
よぼよぼ よぼよぼ / similar | Specifically used to describe the decrepit, feeble state of very old age. | Yoroyoro can happen to anyone (even a young drunk person), whereas yoboyobo is tied exclusively to the frailty of old age. | よぼよぼのおじいさん。 |
ぐらぐら ぐらぐら / contrast | When inanimate objects (like teeth, poles, or buildings) are loose, shaking, or unstable. | Yoroyoro is used for living beings losing their physical balance, not for objects. | 地震で家がぐらぐら揺れる。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using yoroyoro to say you have a dizzy headache.
Use furafura or kurakura for head dizziness. Yoroyoro describes the physical act of staggering on your feet.
Using yoroyoro to describe a wobbly table.
Use guragura for inanimate objects that are shaky or wobbly.
Examples
Examples
老犬がよろよろと立ち上がった。
ろうけんがよろよろとたちあがった。
The old dog stood up totteringly.
VisualDescribes the feeble leg movement of an old animal lacking strength.
酔っ払いがよろよろ歩いている。
よっぱらいがよろよろあるいている。
The drunk is walking staggeringly.
VisualA very common usage for someone heavily intoxicated.
疲労で足がよろよろする。
ひろうであしがよろよろする。
My legs feel unsteady from fatigue.
LiteralDescribes the lack of strength in leg muscles after hard work.
パンチを受けてよろよろと後ずさりした。
ぱんちをうけてよろよろとあとずさりした。
I staggered backward after taking a punch.
VisualShows the loss of balance due to an external physical shock.
重い荷物を持ってよろよろする。
おもいにもつをもってよろよろする。
Tottering while holding heavy luggage.
LiteralDescribes the body struggling to support a heavy weight.
Similar Words
ふらふら
furafura
Describes a lack of stability, whether physically (feeling dizzy or walking unsteadily) or mentally (being indecisive or wandering aimlessly). Furafura means feeling dizzy or lightheaded, while yoroyoro focuses on losing leg balance.
よぼよぼ
yoboyobo
Describes the physical frailty, unsteadiness, or tottering movement typically associated with old age. Yoboyobo is used specifically for very old and feeble people.
Questions
Are yoroyoro and furafura interchangeable?
Not exactly. Furafura is more about feeling dizzy or lightheaded, while yoroyoro refers specifically to physically staggering and losing your footing.
Can I use yoroyoro for a loose tooth?
No, yoroyoro is for living beings. For a loose tooth or a wobbly chair, you should use guragura.
How do I use yoroyoro as a verb?
You can add 'suru' to make it 'yoroyoro suru' (to stagger/be unsteady), or use it as an adverb with 'to' before an action verb, like 'yoroyoro to aruku' (to walk staggeringly).
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1013230
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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