よろめく

よ

ろ

め

く

よろめく · godan verb (-ku)

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Describes unsteady physical movement, often from intoxication, weakness, or being off-balance.

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

waver; be in two minds; falter

usually written using kana alone

Metaphorical use for mental or emotional unsteadiness, such as indecision or wavering resolve.

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

have an affair; fall for someone

usually written using kana alone

Colloquial, often used when someone is tempted into an extramarital affair or becomes infatuated. Implies a loss of moral or emotional footing.

〈人ひと〉が酒さけによろめくto stagger from drink
彼かれは酒さけによろめきながら店みせを出でた。
He staggered out of the bar, drunk.
〈人ひと〉の心こころが〈事こと〉によろめくone's heart/resolve wavers because of something
彼かれの言こと葉ばに彼かの女じょの心こころがよろめいた。
Her resolve wavered at his words.
〈人ひと〉が〈相あい手て〉によろめくto fall for someone (become tempted into an affair)
彼かの女じょは同どう僚りょうによろめいてしまった。
She ended up falling for a coworker.
〈人ひと〉がよろめきながら〈動どう詞し〉to do something while staggering
老ろう人じんはよろめきながら階かい段だんを上のぼった。
The old man climbed the stairs, staggering as he went.

よろける sense 1
よろける and よろめく both mean to stagger or lose one's balance, but よろける is a slightly more casual, everyday word while よろめく can also extend to emotional wavering.
迷まようN3sense 2
迷う is the general word for being indecisive or lost, while よろめく in its mental sense implies a more emotional wavering caused by temptation.
浮うわ気きN1sense 3
浮気する directly means to cheat on a partner, while よろめく is a softer, more literary way of describing being tempted into an affair.
ふらつくN1sense 1
ふらつく emphasizes lightheadedness or unsteady swaying, while よろめく focuses on the actual lurching or stumbling steps.
つまずくN2sense 1
つまずく means to trip over something specific (like a stone), whereas よろめく describes general loss of balance without necessarily tripping on an object.

よろよろN1
よろめく is the verb meaning 'to stagger, to totter,' while よろよろ is the adverb/mimetic word used with と or する to describe the same motion.

Applies to each form listed below

gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun

よろめくUsage100%
Usually written in kana. The rare kanji forms 蹌踉めく and 蹣跚めく are gikun/jukujikun and not used in modern writing.
蹌踉よろめくUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using gikun/jukujikun reading; not recommended for learners.
蹣跚よろめく
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using gikun/jukujikun reading; not recommended for learners.

The word is likely of mimetic origin, related to the root よろ (yoro) seen in よろよろ (staggering). The exact derivation is uncertain.