コツコツ

コツコツ(と)働はたらくto work steadily and diligently
彼かれは毎まい日にちコツコツと働はたらいている。
He works steadily every day.
〈物もの〉をコツコツ(と)たたくto tap on something with a light knocking sound
誰だれかがドアをコツコツとたたいた。
Someone tapped lightly on the door.
コツコツ(と)勉べん強きょうするto study diligently, little by little
彼かの女じょはコツコツと勉べん強きょうして試し験けんに合ごう格かくした。
She studied diligently and passed the exam.
靴くつ音おとがコツコツ(と)響ひびくfor footsteps to click or clack
ハイヒールの靴くつ音おとがコツコツと響ひびいた。
The clicking sound of high heels echoed.
コツコツ(と)貯ちょ金きんするto save money little by little
将しょう来らいのためにコツコツ貯ちょ金きんしている。
I'm saving money little by little for the future.
コツコツ(と)積つみ上あげるto build something up steadily, bit by bit
彼かれは技ぎ術じゅつをコツコツと積つみ上あげてきた。
He has steadily built up his skills over time.

Related words· 7

地じ道みちN2sense 1
地道 is a noun/adjectival term for a steady, honest approach to work, while コツコツ is the adverbial mimetic word describing the actual step-by-step action of doing it.
着ちゃく実じつN1sense 1
着実 stresses that progress is sure and reliable, whereas コツコツ stresses the repeated small effort itself, regardless of how visible the results are.
豆まめN3sense 1
まめ describes a person's diligent, hardworking character trait, while コツコツ describes the manner in which a task is carried out little by little.
しっかりN4sense 1
しっかり means 'firmly' or 'properly', focusing on reliability and strength, while コツコツ emphasizes steady, persistent effort over time.

Show 3 more

せっせとN2
こつこつ emphasizes steady, step-by-step effort over time, while せっせと suggests a more active, bustling busyness.
シコシコ
こつこつ emphasizes slow, steady plodding effort over time, while シコシコ suggests a repetitive, patient motion in the moment.
黙もく々もくN1
こつこつ emphasizes steady, persistent effort over time, whereas 黙々 focuses on the silent, wordless manner of doing something.

Don't confuse with

カツカツ sense 2
カツカツ can describe a sharp clicking sound similar to コツコツ, but it is also commonly used to mean 'barely scraping by' financially, a sense コツコツ never has.
とんとんN1sense 2
トントン describes a lighter, quicker tapping or knocking sound (and can also mean 'even/on par'), while コツコツ tends to describe a duller, more deliberate repeated tapping.

Written forms

コツコツUsage66%
Katakana spelling is common for this mimetic word.
こつこつUsage34%
Hiragana spelling is also very common.

Etymology

Mimetic word derived from the sound of light, repeated tapping. The meaning of 'steadily' comes from the image of making small, continuous, rhythmic efforts like tapping.