Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
にやにや (niyaniya) Japanese meaning: grinning | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N3 › Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation にやにやする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'
Form Positive Negative Dictionary にやにやする にやにやしない Polite にやにやします にやにやしません Past polite にやにやしました にやにやしませんでした Past にやにやした にやにやしなかった Te-form にやにやして にやにやしないで Desire にやにやしたい にやにやしたくない Potential にやにやできる にやにやできない Passive にやにやされる にやにやされない Causative にやにやさせる にやにやさせない Causative passive にやにやさせられる にやにやさせられない Volitional にやにやしよう Polite volitional にやにやしましょう Imperative にやにやしろ にやにやするな Conditional にやにやすれば にやにやしなければ Tara conditional にやにやしたら にやにやしなかったら
Report an issue with this page
彼かれ
は
何なに
が
おかしい
の
か
、
一人ひとり
で
にやにや
し
て
いる
。
He's grinning to himself, I wonder what's so funny.
She grinned like a child who had thought of a prank.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 がにやにやする for someone to grin/smirk
He's smirking, as if remembering something.
にやにや 笑わら う to grin/smirk while laughing softly
She grinned as if she knew a secret.
〈 人ひと 〉 を 見み てにやにやする to smirk while looking at someone
He's smirking as he looks at my face.
にやにやが 止と まらない to be unable to stop grinning
I couldn't stop grinning after seeing her email.
Related words にやり describes a single, brief smirk, while にやにや describes a sustained, repeated grinning state.
にたにた is nearly identical to にやにや but often carries a creepier or more unpleasant nuance of grinning.
にこにこ is an open, cheerful smile, while にやにや often implies a smirk or a grin with a hidden or suggestive meaning.
ほくそ笑む is a verb meaning to smirk with private satisfaction, whereas にやにや is the adverb/onomatopoeia describing the grinning expression itself.
Don't confuse with くすくす describes a quiet, audible giggle, while にやにや describes a silent grin or smirk without laughter.
にやにや sounds similar to にっこり but describes a sly, smirking grin rather than にっこり's warm, cheerful smile.
ニコニコ describes a warm, friendly smile, while ニヤニヤ describes a smirk or sly grin, often with a negative connotation.
Written forms にやにや Usage 45%
Hiragana spelling is standard and widely used.
ニヤニヤ Usage 55%
Katakana spelling is common for mimetic words and can add a slightly emphatic or casual feel.
Etymology Onomatopoeic/mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain, but it imitates the sound or appearance of a suppressed grin.
