ごつごつ
ごつごつ
adverb, onomatopoeia
rugged; bumpy; bony
1.
rugged; bumpy; rough
describes an uneven, rough surface with bumps and protrusions
ごつごつした岩を登る。
To climb rugged rocks.
この道はごつごつしていて歩きにくい。
This road is bumpy and hard to walk on.
2.
bony; angular
describes a person or body part that is thin with bones or joints showing prominently
彼はごつごつした大きな手をしている。
He has large, bony hands.
ごつごつした指でピアノを弾く。
To play the piano with bony fingers.
A mimetic word (擬態語) describing hard, uneven surfaces with sharp protrusions, or a person's bony, angular build.
SENSE 1 — RUGGED SURFACE:
- ごつごつした岩: rugged rocks
- ごつごつした道: bumpy/rocky road
- 地面がごつごつしている: the ground is rough and uneven
SENSE 2 — BONY/ANGULAR:
- ごつごつした手: bony, large hands
- ごつごつした指: bony, angular fingers
- ごつごつした体: a rugged, angular physique
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.