たどたどしい

た

ど

た

ど

し

い

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

たどたどしい · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	たどたどしい	たどたどしくない
Polite	たどたどしいです	たどたどしくないですalso たどたどしくありません
Past polite	たどたどしかったです	たどたどしくなかったですalso たどたどしくありませんでした
Past	たどたどしかった	たどたどしくなかった
Te-form	たどたどしくて	たどたどしくなくて
Adverbial	たどたどしく
Conditional	たどたどしければ	たどたどしくなければ
Tara conditional	たどたどしかったら	たどたどしくなかったら

Meanings

i-adjective

faltering; halting; unsteady; awkward; clumsy

usually written using kana alone

Describes speech, movement, or actions that are hesitant, unsteady, or lacking smoothness, often due to inexperience or nervousness. Commonly used with 話し方, 足取り, 手つき, etc.

彼かれの日本にほん語ごはまだたどたどしい。
His Japanese is still halting.
子こ鹿じかがたどたどしい足あし取どりで歩あるいている。
The fawn is walking with unsteady steps.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Kanji

辿follow (road), pursue

Related words

片かた言ことN1
片言 is a noun for the broken language itself, while たどたどしい is an adjective describing hesitant, faltering speech or movement.
ぎこちないN1
たどたどしい is used for speech or movement that is halting and unsteady from inexperience or nervousness, while ぎこちない more broadly describes any stiff, unnatural manner.

Opposites

ぺらぺらN3
たどたどしい describes halting, faltering speech, the opposite of speaking ぺらぺら (fluently).
流りゅう暢ちょうN1
たどたどしい describes halting, faltering speech, the opposite of the smooth, effortless flow implied by 流暢.

Written forms

たどたどしいUsage98%
Usually written in kana. The kanji forms 辿々しい and 辿辿しい are rare.
辿たど々たどしいUsage2%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using the iteration mark 々.
辿たど辿たどしい
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form with repeated kanji.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 辿る (たどる, 'to follow a narrow path, to trace') with reduplication and the adjectival suffix しい, suggesting a sense of groping or proceeding unsteadily. The exact historical development is uncertain.