すべすべ

す

べ

す

べ

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

すべすべする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Meanings

onomatopoeic or mimetic wordusually written using kana alone

Describes a surface that is smooth and pleasant to the touch, often used for skin, hair, or polished objects. Mimetic word.

〈物もの〉がすべすべするfor something to be smooth to the touch
赤あかちゃんの肌はだはすべすべしている。
A baby's skin is smooth and soft.
すべすべの〈物もの〉smooth ~ (attributive)
彼かの女じょはすべすべの手てをしている。
She has smooth hands.
〈物もの〉がすべすべになるfor something to become smooth
クリームを塗ぬったら肌はだがすべすべになった。
After applying the cream, my skin became smooth.

つるつるN1
つるつる describes a glossy, slippery smoothness like a bald head or polished floor, while すべすべ describes a soft, velvety smoothness like skin or fabric.
滑なめらかN1
なめらか is a broader term for smoothness that can describe movement or progress as well as texture, while すべすべ is specifically about a pleasant tactile smoothness.

ざらざらN1
ざらざら describes a rough, grainy texture, the opposite of the soft smoothness of すべすべ.

すべすべUsage78%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 滑々 and 滑滑 are rare.
スベスベUsage21%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, often used for emphasis or in informal writing.
滑すべ々すべUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; not commonly used.
滑すべ滑すべ
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; not commonly used.

Mimetic word derived from the reduplication of the root すべ, which is associated with smoothness or sliding. The exact origin is uncertain.