よどみなく

Meanings

1

fluently; without hesitation; smoothly

usually written using kana alone

Describes speaking, writing, or performing an action in a flowing, uninterrupted manner, without stumbling or pausing.

彼かの女じょはよどみなく英えい語ごを話はなす。
She speaks English fluently.
彼かれはよどみなく質しつ問もんに答こたえた。
He answered the questions without hesitation.

Kanji

淀pool, eddy
無nothingness, none, ain't
澱sediment, grounds, dregs

Related words

すらすら
すらすら also means smoothly or fluently, but often implies a light, effortless flow, while よどみなく emphasizes the absence of pauses or stumbling.
滞とどこおりなく
滞りなく means without delay or hitch, often used for procedures or events proceeding smoothly, whereas よどみなく focuses on the flow of speech or action.

Written forms

淀よどみ無なく
Kanji spelling using 淀; rarely used.
澱よどみ無なく
Kanji spelling using 澱; rarely used.
淀よどみなく
Kanji spelling with なく instead of 無く; rarely used.
澱よどみなく
Kanji spelling with なく instead of 無く; rarely used.

Etymology

From 淀み (stagnation, pause) + 無く (without). The word 淀む originally refers to water stagnating, and by extension to hesitation or faltering in speech.