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びっしり (bisshiri) Japanese meaning: closely packed | Kotomora

びっしり

also: ぴっしり

び

っ

し

り

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

closely packed; tightly; densely

onomatopoeic or mimetic word›

Describes things being packed tightly together with little or no space between them, such as a schedule, writing, or physical objects.

今日きょう

の

予よ

定てい

は

びっしり

詰つ

まっ

て

いる

。

Today's schedule is packed tight.

ノートにびっしりと文も字じが書かいてある。

The notebook is densely filled with writing.

2

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

thoroughly; sufficiently; without a break

onomatopoeic or mimetic word›

Used for working or doing something continuously and thoroughly, often implying a full or intense effort.

朝あさから晩ばんまでびっしり働はたらいた。
I worked solidly from morning till night.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に〈物もの〉がびっしり詰つまるfor things to be packed tightly into a place
本ほん棚だなに本ほんがびっしり詰つまっている。
The bookshelf is packed tightly with books.
びっしり〈動どう詞し〉to do something thoroughly and without a break
毎まい日にちびっしり練れん習しゅうする。
I practice thoroughly and without a break every day.
予よ定ていがびっしりだto have a schedule packed full of things to do
今こん週しゅうは予よ定ていがびっしりで、休やすむ時じ間かんがない。
My schedule this week is packed full, so I have no time to rest.
〈物もの〉にびっしり字じを書かくto write densely, filling a surface with tightly packed writing
ノートにびっしり字じを書かいた。
I filled the notebook with densely packed writing.

Related words

ぎっしりN3sense 1
ぎっしり emphasizes being crammed to full capacity, while びっしり focuses on things being closely packed with no gaps, often in rows or lines.
みっしり sense 2
みっしり is used for intense, thorough effort like training or studying, while びっしり in this sense means doing something continuously without a break.

Opposites

まばらN1sense 1
まばら describes things scattered thinly with gaps, the opposite of びっしり's densely packed, no-gap feel.
スカスカN1
びっしり describes something packed tightly full, the opposite of the hollow, gap-filled sense of スカスカ.

Don't confuse with

ぎっしりN3
ぎっしり and びっしり sound alike, but ぎっしり highlights things packed tightly into a space (a bag, a schedule), while びっしり highlights a surface densely covered without gaps (rows of teeth, sweat, hair).

Written forms

びっしりUsage88%
Standard hiragana spelling; the most common written form.
ビッシリUsage13%
Katakana variant, often used for emphasis or stylistic effect.

Etymology

Onomatopoeic/mimetic word; the exact derivation is uncertain, but it likely imitates the sound or feeling of things being packed tightly together.