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おずおず Japanese meaning | Kotomora

おずおず

お

ず

お

ず

JLPTN1

Meanings

1

adverb taking the 'to' particle

timidly; nervously; fearfully

usually written using kana alone

Describes hesitant, fearful behavior or speech, often with the と particle. Conveys a sense of trembling or diffidence.

彼かの女じょはおずおずと部屋へやに入はいってきた。
She timidly entered the room.
子こ供どもはおずおずと母はは親おやの後

Written forms

おずおずUsage100%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
オズオズ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, sometimes used for emphasis or stylistic effect.
怖おず怖おず
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; it is rarely used.

Kanji

怖

うし

ろ

に

隠かく

れ

た

。

The child nervously hid behind his mother.

dreadful, be frightened, fearful

Similar words

びくびく
びくびく emphasizes a continuous state of fear or nervousness, often with physical trembling, while おずおず focuses on hesitant, timid actions or speech.
こわごわ
こわごわ also means fearfully or nervously, but often implies cautiousness due to fear, whereas おずおず highlights diffidence and hesitation.

Etymology

Reduplication of the root おず, which is related to fear (cf. 怖じる). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the form is a mimetic adverb expressing timidity.