こっそり
こっそり
adverb
secretly; stealthily; quietly
1.
secretly; stealthily; on the sly
Describes doing something quietly and secretly so as not to be noticed by others. Often implies a deliberate attempt to avoid detection.
こっそり部屋を出た。
I slipped out of the room quietly.
彼はこっそり手紙を読んでいた。
He was reading the letter secretly.
親に見つからないようにこっそりお菓子を食べた。
I ate snacks on the sly so my parents wouldn't find out.
こっそり describes doing something secretly or stealthily, deliberately trying not to be noticed. The tone is relatively mild — it can describe innocent secrecy, not just wrongdoing.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- こっそり〜する: to do something secretly
- こっそりと: variant with と particle (slightly more literary)
- こっそり抜け出す: to sneak out
- こっそり食べる: to eat on the sly
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- こそこそ: sneakily (more negative, implies suspicious behavior)
- ひそかに: secretly (literary, can mean "inwardly")
- 内緒で: in secret, confidentially
- 密かに: in secret (formal/written)
USAGE:
こっそり often appears in lighthearted contexts: こっそりお菓子を食べる (sneaking a snack). こそこそ sounds more suspicious and negative.
Related Words
Contrast:
こそこそ (sneakily (negative))