ふわり

also: ふうわり

ふ

わ

り

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

adverb taking the 'to' particle

softly; gently; lightly

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Mimetic adverb describing a soft, light, airy movement or sensation. Often used with と (ふわりと).

花はなびらがふわりと舞まい降おりた。
A petal fluttered down softly.
ふわりとした感かん触しょくのタオル。
A towel with a soft, fluffy feel.

See all 11 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

ふわりと浮うくto float up lightly
風ふう船せんがふわりと浮ういていった。
The balloon floated up gently into the air.
ふわりと舞まうto flutter down softly
花はなびらがふわりと舞まい落おちた。
The petals fluttered gently down to the ground.
ふわりと包つつむto wrap something gently and lightly
母ははは赤あかちゃんをふわりと毛もう布ふで包つつんだ。
The mother wrapped the baby gently in a blanket.
ふわりと着ちゃく地ちするto land softly and lightly
体たい操そう選せん手しゅはふわりと着ちゃく地ちした。
The gymnast landed softly on her feet.

Related words

ふんわり
ふんわり emphasizes a soft, fluffy texture or gentle atmosphere, while ふわり focuses on a single light, airy motion.
ふわふわN2
ふわふわ describes a continuous or repeated soft, fluffy state, while ふわり captures a single light, airy motion or moment.
そっとN3
そっと emphasizes quietness and carefulness, whereas ふわり focuses on lightness and softness of movement or texture.
ひらりN1
ひらり suggests a quick, agile motion often used for dodging, while ふわり suggests a soft, floating or drifting motion with no sense of speed.

Don't confuse with

ふらりN1
ふらり sounds similar but describes an aimless, wandering movement (like strolling off on a whim), while ふわり describes a soft, light motion such as floating or landing gently.

Written forms

ふわりUsage88%
Standard kana spelling; no kanji form exists.
フワリUsage12%
ふうわり
Emphatic or drawn-out variant; less common.
ふーわり
Search-only kana form with long vowel mark.

Etymology

Onomatopoeic or mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain, but it is likely derived from the sound-symbolic element ふわ, which evokes softness and airiness.