すくすく

す

く

す

く

JLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

growing quickly; thriving; rapidly

Mimetic adverb describing healthy, vigorous growth, especially of children and plants. Often used with verbs like 育つ, 伸びる, or 成長する.

〈人ひと〉がすくすく(と)育そだつfor someone (esp. a child) to grow up healthy and strong
うちの子こはすくすくと育そだっている。
Our child is growing up healthy and strong.
〈物もの〉がすくすく(と)伸のびるfor a plant to grow up straight and quickly
庭にわの苗なえがすくすくと伸のびている。
The seedlings in the garden are growing up quickly and straight.
すくすく(と)成せい長ちょうするto grow and develop rapidly and healthily
赤あかちゃんはすくすくと成せい長ちょうしている。
The baby is growing rapidly and healthily.

ぐんぐんN3
すくすく describes healthy, natural growth (especially of children or plants), while ぐんぐん emphasizes forceful, steady progress and can apply to non-living things like sales or speed.
どんどんN4
すくすく specifically implies healthy, natural growth, while どんどん is a general adverb for anything progressing rapidly or steadily.
メキメキN1
すくすく focuses on physical growth over time, while めきめき highlights a noticeable, often sudden improvement in skill or condition.
のびのびN2
すくすく describes vigorous, healthy growth, while のびのび describes growing or acting freely and without constraint, often emotionally relaxed.

Mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain, but the reduplicated form suggests a sound-symbolic representation of smooth, steady growth.