godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb
be sticky; be clammy
Describes an unpleasant sticky or clammy feeling, often from humidity, sweat, or residue.
暑くて肌がべとつく。
It's so hot my skin feels sticky.
床にジュースがこぼれてべとついている。
Juice spilled on the floor and it's sticky.
Hiragana spelling is standard for this mimetic verb.
Katakana variant used for emphasis or in informal writing.
Mimetic word derived from the sound-symbolic root べと (beto), representing stickiness. The exact origin is uncertain.