嬉き々き

き

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle

Literary or formal expression describing a state of visible happiness or delight. Often used adverbially with と (嬉々として) or as a たる adjective in written language.

彼かれは嬉き々きとしてその仕し事ごとを引ひき受うけた。
He cheerfully took on the task.
子こ供どもたちは嬉き々きとした表ひょう情じょうで遊あそんでいた。
The children were playing with joyful expressions.

Kanji

嬉glad, pleased, rejoice
喜rejoice, take pleasure in
嘻mirthful, happy, interjection

Related words

嬉うれしい
嬉しい is the common i-adjective for 'happy/glad' in everyday speech. 嬉々 is a literary, adverbial form used in formal or written contexts.
楽たのしそう
楽しそう is a casual, everyday way to describe someone looking happy. 嬉々 is more formal and often implies visible, almost radiant joy.

Written forms

嬉き々きUsage77%
Standard kanji spelling for this literary adverb/adjective.
喜き々きUsage20%
Alternate kanji spelling using 喜; seen but less frequent.
嬉き嬉きUsage2%
Variant kanji spelling; less common than 嬉々.
喜き喜きUsage1%
Rare variant spelling.
嘻き々き
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
嘻き嘻き
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

Reduplication of the kanji 嬉 (joy) to emphasize the state. The reading き is the on'yomi. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the form is used in classical and literary Japanese.