丸まる々まる

ま

る

ま

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun-modifying (irregular), noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

plump; chubby; round

Describes a pleasantly round, plump shape, often for babies, animals, or body parts. Can be used prenominally or as a suru-verb.

赤あかちゃんの丸まる々まるとした腕うでがかわいい。
The baby's plump little arms are cute.
この猫ねこ

は

よく

食た

べ

て

丸まる

々まる

し

て

いる

。

This cat eats a lot and is chubby.

2

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

entirely; completely; wholly

Adverbial use meaning 'the whole of something' or 'completely'. Often used with verbs like 使う, 覚える, or 写す.

給きゅう料りょうをまるまる使つかってしまった。
I spent my entire salary.
教きょう科か書しょをまるまる一いっ冊さつ写うつした。
I copied the whole textbook.

Written forms

丸まる々まるUsage40%
Standard kanji spelling with iteration mark.
まるまるUsage59%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing and when the adverbial sense is intended.
丸まる丸まるUsage1%
Variant without iteration mark; less common but still used.

Kanji

丸round, full (month), perfection

Similar words

ぽっちゃり
ぽっちゃり is a softer, more affectionate term for plumpness, often used for people. 丸々 is more neutral and can describe objects or animals.
全ぜん部ぶ
全部 is a noun meaning 'all' or 'the whole', while 丸々 is an adverb emphasizing completeness or entirety, often with a nuance of 'without leaving anything out'.

Etymology

Reduplication of 丸 (まる, 'round'), with the iteration mark 々 indicating repetition. The adverbial sense likely developed from the idea of something being 'roundly' or 'completely' covered.