とろとろ

とろとろ
adverb, na-adjective
thick and gooey; slow and drowsy
1. thick; gooey; melting
Describes something with a thick, viscous, or melted texture, often used for food.
チーズがとろとろに溶(と)けた。
The cheese melted into a gooey texture.
とろとろの卵(たまご)が好(す)きだ。
I like soft, runny eggs.
長(なが)い時間(じかん)煮込(にこ)んでとろとろになった。
It simmered for a long time and became thick and tender.
2. slow; drowsy; dozing
Describes moving slowly or being in a drowsy, half-asleep state.
火(ひ)をとろとろに弱(よわ)めて煮込(にこ)む。
Simmer on low heat.
とろとろ火(び) = low/gentle flame
とろとろと眠(ねむ)りに落(お)ちた。
I slowly drifted off to sleep.
とろとろ歩(ある)いていたら遅刻(ちこく)した。
I walked so slowly that I was late.

とろとろ is a mimetic word with two main uses: describing thick, melty food textures (sense 1) and slow, drowsy movement (sense 2).

SENSE 1 — FOOD/TEXTURE:

This sense has a positive connotation — it describes desirable textures like melted チーズ, soft-boiled 卵(たまご), or well-stewed dishes.

SENSE 2 — MOVEMENT/STATE:

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • ねばねば: sticky (like natto — emphasizes stickiness rather than meltiness)
  • どろどろ: thick, muddy (often negative — sludgy, messy)

Related Words

Related: ねばねば (sticky)
Related: どろどろ (thick and muddy)
general
Added 2026.1.16 14:20 · Revised 2026.6.5 22:10
05000/05257_torotoro