Translation guide
The act of writing or drawing hastily, carelessly, or absentmindedly. Includes doodling, jotting down notes, and messy handwriting.
Making random marks, patterns, or small drawings without serious intent, often while distracted.
Producing hurried, illegible handwriting, often when taking notes or jotting something down.
Writing something quickly to remember it, often in a casual or informal context.
Casual verb meaning 'to jot down' or 'take a memo'. Very common in spoken Japanese.
The marks or pretend writing made by young children before they can write properly.
落書き is for doodles and drawings, often playful. 走り書き is for fast, messy writing (like notes). 殴り書き is rougher, almost violent scribbling, often from anger or extreme haste.
English 'scribbling' covers both drawing and writing. In Japanese, choose the word based on whether it's pictures (落書き) or text (走り書き). Using the wrong one can sound odd.
Stop scribbling on your desk.
Please don't scribble on the walls.
I was scribbling during the meeting.
Literally 'running writing', describes fast, messy handwriting. Often used for notes or memos.
I can't read his scribbling.
I handed over a hastily scribbled note.
Literally 'hitting writing', implies very rough, violent-looking scribbling. Stronger than 走り書き.
I scribbled angrily.
To scribble or jot down in a scattered, disorganized way. Verb.
I scribbled ideas all over the paper.
ちょっとメモっておくね。
Let me just scribble that down.
To write down or note something so as not to forget. Slightly more formal than メモる.
I scribbled down what came to mind.
To scribble down quickly. Emphasizes speed and messiness.
I scribbled down the phone number.
Often used for children's scribbles. Same word as 'violent scribbling' but context changes meaning.
The child scribbled on the wall.
Childish word for drawing or scribbling pictures. Often used by/with small children.
Let's scribble together.
I could barely read his scribbled note.
She was scribbling in her notebook during the lecture.