ぺこぺこ

ぺこぺこ
adverb
starving; bowing repeatedly
descriptive
1. starving; very hungry
Describes the feeling of being extremely hungry, with an empty stomach.
お腹(なか)がぺこぺこだ。
I'm starving.
昼(ひる)ごはんを食(た)べなかったから、ぺこぺこです。
I'm really hungry because I skipped lunch.
朝(あさ)から何(なに)も食(た)べていないので、お腹(なか)がぺこぺこだ。
I haven't eaten anything since this morning, so I'm starving.
たくさん運動(うんどう)したから、お腹(なか)がぺこぺこで何(なん)でも食(た)べられる。
I exercised a lot, so I'm so hungry I could eat anything.
子(こ)どもたちが「お腹(なか)ぺこぺこ」と言(い)いながら学校(がっこう)から帰(かえ)ってきたので、すぐにおやつを出(だ)した。
The children came home from school saying 'we're starving,' so I immediately put out snacks.
2. bowing repeatedly; being obsequious
Describes the action of bowing repeatedly, often in an excessively flattering manner.
上司(じょうし)にぺこぺこ頭(あたま)を下(さ)げる。
To bow repeatedly to one's boss.
Often implies excessive or insincere flattery
あの人(ひと)はいつもぺこぺこしている。
That person is always being obsequious.
お客(きゃく)さんにぺこぺこするのも仕事(しごと)のうちだ。
Bowing to customers is part of the job.
偉(えら)い人(ひと)の前(まえ)ではぺこぺこするのに、後輩(こうはい)には態度(たいど)が大(おお)きい。
They bow obsequiously to important people, but act arrogant toward juniors.
謝(あやま)るとき、ぺこぺこと何度(なんど)も頭(あたま)を下(さ)げて、相手(あいて)に許(ゆる)してもらった。
When apologizing, I bowed repeatedly and was forgiven by the other person.

ぺこぺこ is a mimetic word (擬態語(ぎたいご)) with two unrelated meanings.

SENSE 1 — HUNGRY:

  • お腹(なか)がぺこぺこ: I'm starving
  • Casual and friendly. Common among children and in everyday speech.
  • Mimics the feeling of an empty, hollow stomach.

SENSE 2 — BOWING:

  • ぺこぺこ頭(あたま)を下(さ)げる: to bow repeatedly
  • ぺこぺこする: to act obsequiously, to grovel
  • Often has a negative nuance, implying excessive flattery or servility.
  • Mimics the repeated up-and-down motion of bowing.

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Both senses are informal/colloquial. The hungry sense is particularly common in spoken Japanese.

core
Added 2026.1.16 12:16 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
05000/05161_pekopeko