adverb, noun or participle which takes 'suru', noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
soft and flaky; fluffy; crumbly; fresh-baked
Describes the texture of food that is soft, crumbly, and often warm, like freshly baked sweet potatoes, pie crust, or squash. Often implies a pleasant, steaming quality.
焼きたてのパイはほくほくしていて美味しい。
The freshly baked pie is soft and flaky and delicious.
このさつまいもはほくほくで甘い。
This sweet potato is fluffy and sweet.
adverb, noun or participle which takes 'suru'
pleased with oneself; beaming happily; chuckling to oneself
Describes a person's happy, self-satisfied expression or feeling, often from a small success or good fortune. Used with verbs like する or 笑う.
彼は宝くじに当たってほくほくしている。
He is beaming happily after winning the lottery.
テストで満点を取って、ほくほく顔で帰ってきた。
He came home with a self-satisfied look after getting a perfect score on the test.