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にょろにょろ Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun or participle which takes 'suru', noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
slithering ; wriggling
onomatopoeic or mimetic word
Mimetic word describing the movement of something long and thin, like a snake or worm, moving in a winding, slippery manner. Often used with と or as a する verb.
The earthworm is wriggling.
Written forms にょろにょろ Usage 67%
Standard hiragana spelling for this mimetic word.
ニョロニョロ Usage 33%
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in manga.
Similar words うねうね うねうね describes a winding, undulating shape or movement, often for roads or rivers, while にょろにょろ emphasizes the slithering, wriggling motion of a long, thin creature.
くねくね くねくね describes a twisting, bending motion, often of a person's body or a winding path, whereas にょろにょろ is more specifically for the slippery, continuous movement of something like a snake.
Etymology Mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain, but it is likely derived from the sound-symbolic element にょろ, which evokes a long, winding, slippery movement.
