てかてか

てかてか
adverb
shiny; glossy; oily
descriptive
1. shiny; glossy; gleaming
Describes a smooth, reflective surface shine.
床(ゆか)をてかてかに磨(みが)いた。
I polished the floor until it shone.
てかてかの新車(しんしゃ)。
A shiny new car.
てかてかに光(ひか)る革靴(かわぐつ)。
Gleaming leather shoes.
2. oily; greasy (skin)
Describes skin or surfaces that are shiny due to oil.
顔(かお)がてかてかしている。
Your face is oily/shiny.
Often refers to oily skin
夏(なつ)は顔(かお)がてかてかになりやすい。
In summer, my face easily gets oily.
てかてかした鼻(はな)をティッシュで押(お)さえた。
I blotted my shiny nose with a tissue.

てかてか is an onomatopoeic adverb describing a shiny or glossy surface, often with a slightly negative nuance of oiliness or excess shine.

Common patterns

Usage

Similar words

  • ぴかぴか: sparkling clean, brand-new (positive nuance)
  • つやつや: glossy, lustrous (healthy, attractive shine — hair, skin)
  • ぎらぎら: glaring, dazzling (harsh, unpleasant brightness)
  • てらてら: shiny, greasy (close synonym, slightly more literary)

Related Words

Related: ぴかぴか (sparkling clean, brand-new)
Related: つやつや (glossy, lustrous)
Compare: ぎらぎら (harsh, dazzling glare)
Related: きらきら (sparkling)
general
Added 2026.1.16 14:48 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
05000/05360_tekateka