よろよろ

A mimetic word (オノマトペ) describing unsteady, tottering movement. Typically caused by physical weakness, old age, exhaustion, or intoxication.

Common patterns

• よろよろ歩(ある)く: to totter, to stagger
• よろよろと立(た)ち上(あ)がる: to stand up unsteadily
• よろよろする: to be unsteady, to stagger
• 足(あし)がよろよろする: one's legs are wobbly

Similar words

• ふらふら: unsteady, dizzy (broader — can include dizziness, aimless wandering, or indecisiveness)
• よたよた: tottering (similar to よろよろ but slightly more emphatic)
• おぼつかない: unsteady, unreliable (adjective, not mimetic)

Usage

Often used to describe elderly people, sick people, or someone who is drunk. Can also describe objects that are wobbly or unstable.