てかてか

てかてか
adverb
shiny; glossy; oily
1. shiny; glossy; gleaming
Describes a smooth, reflective surface shine.
(ゆか)をてかてかに(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.
2. oily; greasy (skin)
Describes skin or surfaces that are shiny due to oil.
(かお)がてかてかしている。
Your face is oily/shiny.
Often refers to oily skin

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:

  • てかてかする: to be shiny/oily
  • てかてかに(みが)く: to polish until shiny
  • てかてかに(ひか)る: to gleam, to shine
  • てかてかの + noun: a shiny ~

USAGE:

  • Positive: freshly polished floors, shiny new items
  • Negative: oily/greasy skin ((かお)がてかてかしている)

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)