Translation guide
Describes how something becomes soft, wet, and unpleasantly soaked, often losing its original texture. Covers food, paper, ground, and metaphorical uses.
Describe food (like cereal, crackers, fried food) that absorbs moisture and becomes soft and unappetizing.
Common verb for food or other solids absorbing liquid and becoming soft and swollen, often with a negative nuance.
シリアルがミルクでふやけてしまった。
The cereal got soggy from the milk.
Onomatopoeic expression for something becoming wet and mushy, often used for food that has lost its texture.
天ぷらの衣がべちゃっとしてしまった。
The tempura batter got soggy.
Specifically for dry food like crackers or rice crackers that absorb moisture from the air and lose crispness.
せんべいがしけてしまった。
The rice crackers have gone soggy.
Describe paper, cardboard, or cloth that gets soaked and loses stiffness.
Also used for paper or cardboard that absorbs water and becomes soft and swollen.
雨でダンボールがふやけてしまった。
The cardboard got soggy from the rain.
Describes something becoming soaking wet and limp, often with a negative feel.
雑誌が水に浸かってぐしょぐしょになった。
The magazine got soggy after being soaked in water.
Describe soil, ground, or a field that becomes soft and muddy from too much water.
Verb for ground becoming muddy and soft, often making it difficult to walk or drive.
雨で道がぬかるんでしまった。
The road became soggy from the rain.
Onomatopoeic expression for ground turning into a muddy, messy state.
運動場が雨でぐちゃぐちゃになった。
The sports ground became soggy from the rain.
Describe a person feeling emotionally or physically drained, limp, or lacking energy.
Describes being limp or exhausted, often from fatigue or heat. Not directly 'soggy' but captures the limp, drained feeling.
暑さでぐったりしている。
I'm feeling soggy from the heat.
Means to be completely exhausted, similar to feeling limp and drained.
一日中歩いてへとへとになった。
I walked all day and became totally soggy.
ふやける is general for solids absorbing liquid and swelling (food, paper). しける is specific to dry foods losing crispness from humidity. Use ふやける for most cases.
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'soggy'. Choose the verb based on what is becoming soggy and how. Using ふやける for ground or emotions would be unnatural.