also: ぽこぽこ
adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle
with a burble; bubbling
Describes a bubbling or gurgling sound, like water boiling or air escaping through liquid.
鍋のスープがボコボコと煮立っている。
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.
空のドラム缶を叩くとボコボコと音がした。
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.
雹で車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.
その道はボコボコで歩きにくい。
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.
彼は喧嘩でボコボコにされた。
He got beaten up badly in the fight.
adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle
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.
春になると野原に花がポコポコと咲き始める。
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.
廊下をポコポコと歩く音が聞こえる。
I can hear the clip-clop of someone walking slowly down the hallway.