ほいほい

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

ほいほいする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Meanings

Describes doing something without careful thought, often accepting or agreeing too easily. Can be used with と or as a する-verb.

indulgently; pamperingly; carefully (not angering)

Used when treating someone with excessive care or indulgence, often to avoid upsetting them. Less common than sense 1.

Interjection used to drive away animals or insects.

Interjection used when lifting something heavy in coordination with others.

hello; hallo

Casual interjection used when calling out to someone, similar to 'hey' or 'hello'.

Hui people

Only with reading ホイホイ

Refers to the Hui ethnic group in China. Only used with the katakana spelling ホイホイ.

〈物もの〉をほいほい(と)あげるto give something away too readily
彼かれは自じ分ぶんの物ものを人ひとにほいほいあげてしまう。
He gives his own things away to people all too readily.
〈人ひと〉をほいほい(と)甘あまやかすto indulge or pamper someone excessively
祖そ母ぼは孫まごをほいほいと甘あまやかす。
Grandma indulges her grandchild far too much.
〈事こと〉をほいほい(と)引ひき受うけるto take on a task without much thought
頼たのまれた仕し事ごとをほいほいと引ひき受うけた。
He readily took on the job he was asked to do, without thinking it over.

うっかりN3sense 1
うっかり describes an accidental slip or oversight, while ほいほい describes a carefree, thoughtless willingness to do something.
甘あまやかすN3sense 2
甘やかす means to spoil or indulge someone through one's actions, while ほいほい (in this sense) describes the overly accommodating manner of treating them.
気き軽がるN2sense 1
気軽 describes a light, unburdened attitude toward doing something, while ほいほい adds a stronger nuance of doing it too readily without proper thought.

慎しん重ちょうN3sense 1
慎重 means careful and deliberate, the opposite of the careless, too-ready attitude expressed by ほいほい.

ほいほいUsage39%
Standard hiragana spelling for the mimetic adverb and interjection senses.
ホイホイUsage61%
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in casual writing; also the only spelling for the Hui people sense.

Mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain. The reduplicated form suggests a light, casual, or repetitive action or sound.