うろうろ
うろうろ
adverb
wandering about; loitering; pacing restlessly
1.
wandering about; loitering
Describes moving around restlessly without purpose or direction, often implying confusion or suspicion.
道に迷ってうろうろした。
I got lost and wandered around.
不審者が家の前をうろうろしている。
A suspicious person is loitering in front of the house.
駅の出口が分からなくて、うろうろしてしまった。
I couldn't find the station exit and ended up wandering around.
うろうろ is an onomatopoeic word (擬態語) expressing restless, purposeless movement.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- うろうろする: to wander about, pace around
- うろうろ歩く: to walk around aimlessly
NUANCE: Can imply confusion, nervousness, or suspicious behavior. More restless than ぶらぶら.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- ぶらぶら: wandering aimlessly (more relaxed)
- おろおろ: flustered, bewildered (emotional confusion)