ポツポツ

雨あめがポツポツ(と)降ふるfor rain to fall in scattered, isolated drops
空そらを見み上あげると、雨あめがポツポツと降ふってきた。
I looked up at the sky, and rain started falling in scattered drops.
〈事こと〉をポツポツ(と)話はなすto talk about something little by little, haltingly
彼かれは昔むかしのことをポツポツと話はなし始はじめた。
He began to talk about the old days little by little.
〈物もの〉がポツポツ(と)建たつfor things (e.g. houses) to be dotted here and there
その辺あたりには家いえがポツポツと建たっている。
There are houses dotted here and there around that area.
〈場ば所しょ〉にポツポツができるfor spots or dots to appear on a surface
顔かおにポツポツができてしまった。
Little spots appeared on my face.

Related words· 8

パラパラ sense 4
パラパラ describes a light, continuous scattering or rustling sound (like rain or falling paper), while ポツポツ describes sparse, isolated drops or dots occurring one at a time.
ちらほらN1sense 3
ちらほら describes things appearing sparsely and intermittently over an area (like cherry blossoms opening here and there), while ポツポツ focuses on small, dot-like distribution or a slow trickle of occurrences.
ジワジワ sense 2
じわじわ describes something spreading or advancing slowly and steadily, while ポツポツ describes something happening in small, discrete increments rather than a continuous creep.
点てん々てんN2sense 1
点々 is the more literary/visual term for dots scattered across a surface, while ポツポツ is the everyday mimetic word for the same look of sparse spots.

Show 4 more

ポツリポツリN1
ポツリポツリ emphasizes distinct occurrences separated by clear pauses, while ぽつぽつ can describe a slightly more continuous or gradual progression.
ぽたぽたN1
ぽつぽつ suggests lighter, more intermittent or sparse drops, while ぽたぽた suggests slightly larger, more continuous drops.
ぽつりN1
ぽつぽつ describes a scattered or intermittent pattern (dots, drops, or gradual action), while ぽつり emphasizes a single, isolated instance or drop.
ぱらぱらN1
ぽつぽつ describes drops or occurrences appearing one by one with slightly larger gaps, while ぱらぱら suggests a lighter, quicker scattering of small particles.

じゃんじゃんN1
ぽつぽつ describes things happening sparsely or little by little, the opposite of じゃんじゃん's sense of continuous, plentiful succession.

ぼつぼつN1
ボツボツ sounds and looks almost identical to ポツポツ but implies heavier, more noticeable drops or larger spots, so learners often mix up which fits a given situation.

Mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain, but it imitates the sound or appearance of small, intermittent drops or dots.