じりじり

also: ぢりぢり · ヂリヂリ

じ

り

じ

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JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

じりじりする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	じりじりする	じりじりしない
Polite	じりじりします	じりじりしません
Past polite	じりじりしました	じりじりしませんでした
Past	じりじりした	じりじりしなかった
Te-form	じりじりして	じりじりしないで
Desire	じりじりしたい	じりじりしたくない
Potential	じりじりできる	じりじりできない
Passive	じりじりされる	じりじりされない
Causative	じりじりさせる	じりじりさせない
Causative passive	じりじりさせられる	じりじりさせられない
Volitional	じりじりしよう
Polite volitional	じりじりしましょう
Imperative	じりじりしろ	じりじりするな
Conditional	じりじりすれば	じりじりしなければ
Tara conditional	じりじりしたら	じりじりしなかったら

Meanings

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

slowly but steadily; gradually; bit by bit

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a gradual, often relentless progression, like a deadline approaching or a situation worsening step by step.

締しめ切きりがじりじりと迫せまってきた。
The deadline has been creeping up on me.
敵てきがじりじりと前ぜん進しんしてくる。
The enemy is advancing slowly but steadily.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, noun or participle which takes 'suru'

irritatedly; impatiently

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Expresses growing irritation or impatience, often with a sense of being on edge. Can be used with する to describe a state of frustration.

彼かれは待まち合あわせに遅おくれて、じりじりしていた。
He was getting irritated because the person he was meeting was late.
結けっ果かが気きになってじりじりする。
I'm on edge wondering about the results.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

scorchingly (of the sun)

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes the intense, burning heat of the sun beating down.

真ま夏なつの太たい陽ようがじりじりと照てりつける。
The midsummer sun beats down scorchingly.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

sizzling (sound of frying)

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Mimics the sound of something frying in hot oil.

フライパンで肉にくがじりじりと音おとを立たてている。
The meat is sizzling in the frying pan.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

ringing (of an alarm or bell)

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Represents the persistent, irritating sound of a warning bell, alarm clock, or similar device.

目め覚ざまし時計どけいがじりじりと鳴なっている。
The alarm clock is ringing persistently.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

oozing out; seeping out

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes something like oil or sweat slowly coming out, often with a sense of unpleasantness.

額ひたいから汗あせがじりじりと滲にじみ出でてきた。
Sweat started oozing out from my forehead.

See all 22 example sentences ›

Usage patterns· 7

太たい陽ようがじりじり（と）照てりつけるfor the sun to beat down scorchingly
真ま夏なつの太たい陽ようがじりじりと照てりつけていた。
The midsummer sun was beating down scorchingly.
〈物もの〉がじりじり（と）にじむfor sweat or liquid to slowly ooze or seep out
額ひたいから汗あせがじりじりとにじんできた。
Sweat slowly began to ooze from his forehead.
じりじりするto feel impatient or on edge while waiting for something
返へん事じが来こなくてじりじりする。
I'm getting impatient because I haven't gotten a reply.
〈事こと〉がじりじり（と）迫せまるfor a deadline or danger to close in relentlessly, bit by bit
試し験けんの日ひがじりじりと迫せまってきた。
The exam date was steadily closing in.
〈物もの〉がじりじり（と）音おとを立たてるfor something (like frying oil) to make a sizzling sound
フライパンの油あぶらがじりじりと音おとを立たてている。
The oil in the pan is sizzling.

Show 2 more

〈物もの〉がじりじり（と）鳴なるfor an alarm or bell to ring persistently and irritatingly
目め覚ざまし時計どけいがじりじりと鳴なり続つづけた。
The alarm clock kept ringing persistently.
〈事こと〉がじりじり（と）上あがる／下さがるfor a price, temperature, or level to creep up or down little by little
ガソリンの値ね段だんがじりじりと上あがっている。
Gas prices are creeping up bit by bit.

Related words

ジワジワ sense 1
じりじり often carries tension or impatience in its gradual progression, while じわじわ describes a softer, more spread-out advance like liquid soaking in.
イライラN3sense 2
いらいら is the common general word for feeling irritated, while じりじり's irritated sense specifically stresses mounting impatience, often from waiting.
かんかん sense 3
かんかん and じりじり both describe intense sunlight, but かんかん suggests a blazing, almost dazzling heat while じりじり emphasizes the slow burning sensation on skin.
じゅうじゅう sense 4
じゅうじゅう is the more common mimetic word for the sizzle of frying food, while じりじり conveys a similar but slightly drier, softer sizzling sound.

Don't confuse with

ジワジワ
じりじり also describes gradual advance but carries a stronger sense of impatience, tension, or scorching heat, whereas ジワジワ is more neutral about the feeling involved.

Written forms

じりじりUsage79%
Standard hiragana spelling for this mimetic adverb.
ジリジリUsage21%
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in informal writing.

Etymology

A mimetic word (擬態語) whose sound-symbolic origin is uncertain. The reduplicated form じりじり likely imitates a continuous, grating sensation or sound, which gave rise to its various meanings.