ぱくぱく

ぱくぱく
adverb, onomatopoeia
munching; gobbling; opening and closing (mouth)
1. munching; gobbling
Eating eagerly by repeatedly opening and closing the mouth; wolfing down food.
おにぎりをぱくぱく食(た)べる。
To gobble up rice balls.
子(こ)どもがケーキをぱくぱく食(た)べた。
The child gobbled up the cake.
おなかがすいていたので、お弁当(べんとう)をぱくぱく頬張(ほおば)った。
I was hungry, so I wolfed down my lunchbox.
2. opening and closing repeatedly
The motion of a mouth (or mouth-like thing) repeatedly opening and closing.
金魚(きんぎょ)がぱくぱくしている。
The goldfish is opening and closing its mouth.
赤(あか)ちゃんが口(くち)をぱくぱく動(うご)かしている。
The baby is moving its mouth open and shut.
水面(すいめん)に顔(かお)を出(だ)した鯉(こい)がぱくぱくと口(くち)を開(あ)けていた。
The carp that surfaced was opening and closing its mouth.

An onomatopoeia representing the repeated opening and closing of the mouth, either while eating eagerly or as a standalone mouth motion.

SOUND SYMBOLISM:
The voiceless 「ぱ」 suggests light, quick movements, giving a cute or childlike impression. Contrast with がつがつ, which sounds rougher and greedier.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

RELATED EATING ONOMATOPOEIA:

Related Words

Related: もぐもぐ (munching)
Contrast: がつがつ (eating greedily)

Related Articles

Common Onomatopoeia and Mimetic Words
general
Added 2026.1.16 18:41 · Revised 2026.6.8 11:21
05500/05723_pakupaku