ゴリゴリ

ごりごり
adverb / na-adjective / onomatopoeia
aggressively, hardcore; grinding, scraping
1. grinding, scraping, crunchy
The sound or sensation of something hard being ground, scraped, or chewed with a rough texture.
ゴリゴリと(おと)がする。
There's a grinding sound.
(かた)のゴリゴリをほぐす。
I loosen up the stiff knots in my shoulders.
(こおり)をゴリゴリ()んで()べた。
I crunched on ice and ate it.
2. aggressively, intensely, hardcore
Doing something in a forceful, uncompromising, or extremely dedicated way. Colloquial and emphatic.
ゴリゴリの理系(りけい)だ。
He's a hardcore science person.
ゴリゴリに(きん)トレしている。
He works out like crazy.
ゴリゴリの営業(えいぎょう)マンで、毎日(まいにち)何十件(なんじゅっけん)電話(でんわ)をかけている。
He's a hardcore salesman who makes dozens of calls every day.

ゴリゴリ is an onomatopoeia with both a literal sound/texture meaning and a colloquial figurative meaning.

SENSE 1 (grinding/scraping):

Describes a rough, hard grinding or crunching sensation.

  • ゴリゴリ(けず)る: to scrape/grind something
  • ゴリゴリした食感(しょっかん): a gritty/crunchy texture
  • (かた)がゴリゴリ: shoulders are stiff and knotted

SENSE 2 (aggressively/hardcore):

Colloquial usage meaning extremely intense or uncompromising.

  • ゴリゴリの + noun: a hardcore ~, an extreme ~
  • ゴリゴリに + verb: intensely, aggressively
  • This usage is informal and common among younger speakers.

RELATED ONOMATOPOEIA:

  • ガリガリ: scraping, scratching; extremely thin (person)
  • バリバリ: energetically, enthusiastically (working hard)
  • ゴシゴシ: scrubbing hard