ごつごつ

ごつごつ
adverb, onomatopoeia
rugged; bumpy; knobbly
descriptiveappearancebody-part
1. rugged; bumpy; rough
describes an uneven, rough surface with bumps and protrusions
ごつごつした岩(いわ)を登(のぼ)る。
To climb rugged rocks.
この道(みち)はごつごつしていて歩(ある)きにくい。
This road is bumpy and hard to walk on.
岩(いわ)だらけのごつごつした海岸(かいがん)を歩(ある)いた。
We walked along a rocky, rugged coast.
2. knobbly; rugged (of hands or build)
describes hands, fingers, a face, or a build that is big-boned and knobbly rather than smooth
彼(かれ)はごつごつした大(おお)きな手(て)をしている。
He has big, knobbly hands.
ごつごつした指(ゆび)でピアノを弾(ひ)く。
To play the piano with knobbly fingers.
父(ちち)のごつごつした手(て)は働(はたら)き者(もの)の手(て)だ。
My father's rough, knobbly hands are the hands of a hard worker.

SENSE 1 — RUGGED SURFACE:

SENSE 2 — KNOBBLY:

Similar words

  • でこぼこ: uneven, bumpy (general unevenness, less hard/sharp)
  • ぼこぼこ: full of dents, beaten up
  • がりがり: skinny, scrawny (emphasizes thinness)
  • ごつい: rugged, bulky, tough (i-adjective form, colloquial)

ごつごつ has a harder, more angular feel than でこぼこ, which describes gentler unevenness.

Related Words

Compare: ぼこぼこ (full of dents, beaten up)
Compare: がりがり (skinny, scrawny)
Compare: ごつい (rugged, bulky, tough)
general
Added 2026.1.27 9:58 · Revised 2026.9.25 18:21
08000/08432_gotsugotsu