しわくちゃ

し

わ

く

ちゃ

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective, noun

usually written using kana alone

Describes something that has become full of wrinkles or creases, often in a messy or undesirable way. Commonly used for paper, clothes, or skin.

しわ
しわ is a single wrinkle or crease, while しわくちゃ describes a state of being covered in many wrinkles.
くしゃくしゃ
くしゃくしゃ is a mimetic word for something crumpled or messy, often used for hair or paper, and can also describe a crumpling sound or action.

しわくちゃUsage69%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 皺くちゃ is rare and 皺苦茶 is ateji.
皺しわくちゃUsage26%
Rare kanji form; the second character is kana.
シワクチャUsage4%
search-only kana form
Katakana spelling, mainly for emphasis or search; not a common written form.
皺しわ苦く茶ちゃ
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji spelling; rarely used.

The word is likely a compound of しわ (wrinkle) and くちゃ, a mimetic element suggesting crumpled or messy state. The exact derivation is uncertain.