にこにこ
にこにこ
adverb
smiling; beaming
1.
smiling; beaming
Describes a happy, gentle smile that shows contentment or friendliness.
彼女はいつもにこにこしている。
She is always smiling.
にこにこ笑みながら挨拶した。
I greeted them with a smile.
赤ちゃんがにこにこしている。
The baby is smiling happily.
にこにこ顔で「おはよう」と言った。
With a smiling face, they said 'good morning.'
子どもたちはプレゼントをもらって、にこにこしながら走って行った。
The children received their presents and ran off with big smiles.
にこにこ is a 擬態語 (mimetic word) that describes a warm, gentle, continuous smile showing happiness or friendliness.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- にこにこする: to smile (ongoing state)
- にこにこ顔: a smiling face
- にこにこしながら: while smiling
- にこにこと話す: to talk with a smile
SIMILAR SMILE WORDS:
- にっこり: a single bright smile (one-time action, often warm)
- にやにや: grinning, smirking (can imply mischief or something suspicious)
- にたにた: smirking unpleasantly (negative nuance)
- ほほえむ: to smile (verb, more literary)
NUANCE:
にこにこ always has a positive, warm nuance. It suggests a genuine, pleasant smile — never sarcastic or forced. Commonly used to describe children, friendly people, and pleasant interactions.