Translation guide
How to express the manner of looking fixedly or intently in Japanese, including adverbs, verb forms, and descriptive phrases.
Describing the act of staring intently, often with wide eyes or without blinking.
An onomatopoeic adverb meaning 'fixedly', 'intently', or 'without moving'. Commonly used with verbs like 見る (to look) or 見つめる (to stare).
He stared at my face.
The child was staring at the toy.
An onomatopoeic adverb implying staring rudely or curiously, often with a negative connotation. Used with 見る.
I felt uncomfortable being stared at by a stranger.
An onomatopoeic adverb for staring in surprise or disbelief, often with wide eyes. Used with 見る.
He stared at the scene in amazement.
An idiomatic phrase meaning 'to stare so hard it's as if boring a hole'. Emphasizes intense staring.
She stared at his photo as if trying to bore a hole through it.
Describing looking without focus, often due to shock, boredom, or thought.
Expressing that someone is staring in a creepy, intrusive, or overly persistent manner.
じっと is neutral and describes a steady, focused gaze. じろじろ implies rude or curious staring, often making the target uncomfortable. まじまじ is used when staring in surprise or disbelief, often with wide eyes.
He stared intently at the exam question.
The tourist stared rudely at my clothes.
She stared at me as if she had seen a ghost.
There is no direct adverb equivalent to 'staringly' in Japanese. Instead, use onomatopoeic adverbs like じっと or ぼんやり with verbs of looking, or describe the manner with phrases like うつろな目で.
I was staring vacantly at the TV in shock.
彼はうつろな目で壁を見つめていた。
He was staring at the wall with vacant eyes.
That person keeps staring at me.