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みるみる Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
adverb
very fast ; in a flash ; before one's eyes
usually written using kana alone
Describes a visible, often dramatic change happening rapidly right in front of the speaker. Commonly used with verbs of change like 変わる, 増える, 減る, 治る, etc.
空そら が みるみる 暗くら く なっ て 、 大おお 雨あめ が 降ふ り 出だ し た 。
The sky darkened before our eyes and a heavy rain started falling.
Written forms みるみる Usage 81%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 見る見る exists but is less common.
見み る 見み る Usage 19%
Kanji form; high priority, but kana is the usual spelling.
ミルミル Usage <1%
Similar words どんどん どんどん emphasizes steady, continuous progress or increase, while みるみる focuses on a rapid, visible change happening in a short time.
あっという 間ま に あっという間に means 'in the blink of an eye' and stresses the surprising shortness of time, whereas みるみる emphasizes the visible process of change.
Etymology Reduplication of 見る (miru, 'to see'), literally 'seeing, seeing', suggesting something happening as one watches.
