ぺたぺた

ぺたぺた
adverb
sticking; pattering (footsteps)
1. sticking; pasting repeatedly
The action or sound of sticking things on surfaces.
シールをぺたぺた貼(は)る。
To stick on stickers one after another.
手(て)がぺたぺたする。
My hands feel sticky.
シールをぺたぺた貼(は)った。
I stuck on stickers one after another.
2. pattering; padding (footsteps)
The sound of light, flat footsteps, like walking barefoot.
子供(こども)がぺたぺたと歩(ある)いている。
The child is padding along with bare feet.
裸足(はだし)でぺたぺた歩(ある)く。
To walk barefoot with a slapping sound.
子供(こども)がぺたぺたと走(はし)り回(まわ)っている。
The child is running around with bare feet slapping.

ぺたぺた is an onomatopoeic word (擬音語(ぎおんご)) with two distinct meanings linked by the idea of flat contact.

MEANINGS:
1. Sticking/pasting: describes the repeated action or sound of pressing flat things onto surfaces. Also describes the sensation of something sticky on skin.
2. Barefoot walking: the sound of flat, bare feet slapping lightly against the floor. Evokes a casual, childlike image.

COMMON PATTERNS:

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • べたべた: sticky (stronger, unpleasantly so)
  • ぺたんと: with a single flat slap
  • ぱたぱた: light pattering or flapping sound

The と particle is optional: both ぺたぺた貼(は)る and ぺたぺたと貼(は)る are natural.

Related Words

Related: べたべた (sticky (stronger))
Related: ぱたぱた (pattering, flapping)
general
Added 2026.1.16 14:48 · Revised 2026.6.6 5:06
05000/05376_petapeta