恐々 (こわごわ) Japanese meaning | KotomoraMeanings
1
adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle
fearfully; timidly; nervously; cautiously
Describes doing something while feeling afraid or anxious, often with hesitation. Frequently used with verbs like する, 見る, 触る, 入る.
し
た
。
She nervously tried cooking for the first time.
Non-repetition-mark spelling; less common.
Kanji
怖dreadful, be frightened, fearful
Similar words
- おそるおそる
Similar meaning but more formal and literary; 恐々 is more colloquial.
- びくびく
Emphasizes trembling or being startled; 恐々 focuses on cautious, fearful behavior.
Etymology
Reduplication of 怖い (こわい, 'scary') with the adverbial suffix 々, yielding a mimetic adverb meaning 'in a scared manner'.
