ぬいぐるみ

ぬ

い

ぐ

る

み

Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun

stuffed toy; plush toy; soft toy

usually written using kana alone

Refers to any soft toy filled with stuffing, such as teddy bears or character plushies. Very common in everyday language.

子こ供どもの誕たん生じょう日びに大おおきなぬいぐるみをプレゼントした。
I gave a big stuffed toy as a present for my child's birthday.
このクマのぬいぐるみはとてもふわふわしている。
This teddy bear plushie is very fluffy.

See all 65 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

ぬいぐるみを抱だきしめるto hug/hold a stuffed toy tightly
彼かの女じょは寝ねる前まえにいつもぬいぐるみを抱だきしめている。
She always hugs her stuffed toy before going to sleep.
ぬいぐるみを集あつめるto collect stuffed toys
彼かれはクマのぬいぐるみを集あつめるのが好すきだ。
He likes collecting teddy bear plush toys.
〈人ひと〉にぬいぐるみをプレゼントするto give someone a stuffed toy as a present
誕たん生じょう日びに娘むすめにウサギのぬいぐるみをプレゼントした。
I gave my daughter a rabbit plush toy for her birthday.

Kanji

縫sew, stitch, embroider
包wrap, pack up, cover

Related words

人にん形ぎょうN4
人形 is the general word for dolls and figurines of any material, while 縫いぐるみ specifically means a soft, stuffed toy like a teddy bear.

Counted with

個こN5
counter for small objects; counter for pieces · counter for military units · individual; one person · counter for years of age difference; counter for school years

Built from

縫ぬう+ぐるみ

Written forms

ぬいぐるみUsage89%
The word is usually written in kana; this is the most common and recommended spelling.
縫ぬいぐるみUsage9%
Kanji spelling with okurigana; seen in some contexts but less common than kana.
ヌイグルミUsage2%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling; sometimes used for stylistic effect or in product names.
縫ぬい包ぐるみ
Full kanji spelling; rarely used in modern writing.

Etymology

From 縫い包み, combining 縫い “sewing” with 包み “wrapping.” The second element developed the bound form ぐるみ, giving ぬいぐるみ for a sewn covering filled with stuffing.