ぺこぺこ

ぺ

こ

ぺ

こ

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

na-adjective

very hungry; starving; famished

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Onomatopoeic expression for an empty, growling stomach or intense hunger. Often used with お腹が.

I skipped lunch, so I'm really hungry now.

adverb, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes repeatedly lowering the head in apology or flattery. Often used with 頭を下げる or 謝る, implying servile behavior.

彼かれは上じょう司しにぺこぺこ謝あやまっていた。
He was bowing and scraping to his boss in apology.
あの政せい治じ家かはいつもスポンサーにぺこぺこしている。
That politician is always kowtowing to his sponsors.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun or participle which takes 'suru', na-adjective

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a thin or weak object bending or caving in under pressure. Can be used literally for materials or figuratively for a person yielding.

ぺこぺこUsage49%
Common hiragana spelling; this reading is high-priority.
ペコペコUsage51%
Katakana spelling is also used, especially in casual or emphatic writing.

お腹なかが空すく
Standard expression for 'to become hungry'; ぺこぺこ is a more vivid, onomatopoeic way to say 'starving'.
ぺこり
Describes a single bow or nod; ぺこぺこ implies repeated or exaggerated bowing.

Onomatopoeic word mimicking a hollow, empty sound (stomach) or the motion of bending and bowing repeatedly. The exact origin is uncertain.