トントン拍びょう子し

と

ん

と

ん

びょ

う

し

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

smoothly; easily; without a hitch

Describes things progressing quickly and smoothly, often with a sense of good momentum. Frequently used adverbially as 〜に.

Kanji

拍clap, beat (music)
子child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM

Related words

スムーズ
スムーズ is a general loanword for 'smooth', while トントン拍子 specifically implies a rhythmic, step-by-step progression that goes well.
順じゅん調ちょう
順調 means 'favorable' or 'on track', but lacks the onomatopoeic, quick-paced nuance of トントン拍子.

Written forms

トントン拍びょう子し
Standard spelling; the katakana トントン is conventional for this mimetic element.
とんとん拍びょう子し
Hiragana variant; less common but still seen.

Etymology

From the mimetic word トントン (tapping or rhythmically progressing) and 拍子 (beat, rhythm). The image is of things moving forward with a steady, unbroken rhythm.