ひやひや
ひやひや
adverb
nervously; anxiously; on edge
1.
nervously; anxiously; on edge
Feeling nervous or anxious while watching something dangerous or uncertain.
試合を見ながらひやひやした。
I watched the match nervously.
ひやひやする場面が多かった。
There were many nerve-wracking scenes.
ひやひやする場面だった。
It was a nerve-wracking scene.
2.
feeling chilly
A cool or slightly cold sensation.
ひやひやした風が吹いている。
A chilly wind is blowing.
冷たい風でひやひやする。
The cold wind makes me feel chilly.
汗がひやひやと乾いていく。
The sweat cools and dries on my skin.
An onomatopoeic adverb with two senses: nervous anxiety (sense 1) and a chilly sensation (sense 2). Sense 1 is far more common.
SENSE 1 (anxiety):
Describes the feeling of watching something risky or uncertain unfold, where you fear a bad outcome. Used with する.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- ひやひやする: to feel nervous/anxious
- ひやひやしながら見る: to watch nervously
- ひやひやさせる: to make someone nervous
SIMILAR WORDS:
- はらはら: anxiously watching (very close synonym)
- どきどき: heart pounding (broader — includes excitement)
- びくびく: fearfully, timidly (ongoing state of fear)
SENSE 2 (chilly):
Describes a cool or slightly cold sensation on the skin. Less common in everyday speech.
Related Words
Synonym:
はらはら (anxiously watching)
Related:
どきどき (heart pounding)
Related:
びくびく (fearful, timid)