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ほうほうの体 (ほうほうのてい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, noun
scuttling away ; scurrying off ; fleeing in a fluster
Describes someone hastily retreating or escaping, often in embarrassment, panic, or shame. The image is of scurrying like a small animal. Commonly used with verbs like 逃げる or 去る.
追お
いかけ
られ
た
猫ねこ
は
、
ほうほう
の
体てい
で
逃に
げ
て
いっ
た
。
Chased by a dog, the cat scuttled away in a panic.
Written forms ほうほうの 体てい
Most common modern spelling; uses hiragana for the mimetic part and kanji for 体.
這々ほうほう の 体てい
Kanji spelling with 々 repetition mark; literary or emphatic, but less common in everyday writing.
這ほ う 這ほ うの 体てい
Full kanji repetition spelling; very rare and mostly found in older texts.
這這ほうほう の 体てい
Kanji spelling without repetition mark; even rarer than 這々の体.
Similar words 逃に げる 逃げる is the general verb for 'to flee' or 'to escape'. ほうほうの体 adds the nuance of a hurried, undignified, or shameful retreat.
慌あわ てふためく 慌てふためく means 'to be flustered' or 'to panic'. ほうほうの体 describes the resulting state or manner of fleeing, not the emotion itself.
Etymology The phrase combines the mimetic word ほうほう (imitating hurried, scurrying movement) with 体 (てい, 'appearance' or 'state'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose from the image of someone fleeing in such a rush that they seem to be crawling or scurrying.
