ボコボコ

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

with a burble; bubbling

Describes a bubbling or gurgling sound, like water boiling or air escaping through liquid.

• 鍋なべのスープがボコボコと煮に立たっている。

  The soup in the pot is bubbling away.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

hollow sounding; thumping

Describes a hollow, resonant sound, like hitting an empty container or a drum.

• 空からのドラム缶かんを叩たたくとボコボコと音おとがした。

  When I hit the empty drum, it made a hollow thumping sound.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle, na-adjective

holey; full of holes or dents; lumpy; bumpy

Describes a surface that is uneven, pitted, or dented; can be used literally or figuratively.

• 雹ひょうで車くるまのボンネットがボコボコになった。

  The car's hood got all dented from the hail.

• その道みちはボコボコで歩あるきにくい。

  The road is bumpy and hard to walk on.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', na-adjective

viciously beating; hitting and kicking repeatedly

Only with reading ボコボコ / ぼこぼこ

Colloquial; describes a severe, repeated physical beating. Often used with する.

• 彼かれは喧けん嘩かでボコボコにされた。

  He got beaten up badly in the fight.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

here and there; scattered

Only with reading ポコポコ / ぽこぽこ

Describes things appearing or happening in various places; often with a light, popping nuance.

• 春はるになると野の原はらに花はながポコポコと咲さき始はじめる。

  In spring, flowers start blooming here and there in the field.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

sound of walking slowly; clip-clop

Only with reading ポコポコ / ぽこぽこ

Describes the light, rhythmic sound of footsteps, especially slow or leisurely walking.

• 廊ろう下かをポコポコと歩あるく音おとが聞きこえる。

  I can hear the clip-clop of someone walking slowly down the hallway.