taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle
silently; mutely; without a word
Describes doing something in concentrated silence, often with a sense of diligence or absorption. Commonly used with と (黙々と).
彼は黙々と仕事を続けた。
He continued working silently.
図書館で黙々と本を読む。
I read a book silently in the library.
黙る is a verb meaning 'to become silent' or 'to stop talking', while 黙々 describes the manner of doing something silently.
無言 is a noun meaning 'silence' or 'without speaking', often used in phrases like 無言で. 黙々 emphasizes the steady, absorbed quality of the silence.
Reduplication of 黙 (もく, 'silence'), a kanji compound of 黒 (black) and 犬 (dog), originally suggesting a quiet, subdued state. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.