そそくさと
そそくさと
adverb
hurriedly; in a rush; hastily
1.
hurriedly; in a rush; hastily
Describes leaving or acting quickly, often because one feels uncomfortable, awkward, or eager to get away from a situation.
そそくさと帰った。
He left in a hurry.
彼女はそそくさと席を立った。
She hastily got up from her seat.
食事をそそくさと済ませて出かけた。
I hurriedly finished my meal and headed out.
気まずい雰囲気を感じたのか、彼はそそくさとその場を離れた。
Perhaps sensing the awkward atmosphere, he hurriedly left the place.
An onomatopoeic adverb describing hurried, somewhat restless movement. Unlike neutral words for 'quickly,' そそくさと carries a nuance of wanting to escape a situation — the person feels uncomfortable, guilty, or simply doesn't want to linger.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- そそくさと帰る: to hurry home
- そそくさと立ち去る: to leave hastily
- そそくさと片づける: to hastily clean up
- そそくさと席を立つ: to hastily leave one's seat
USAGE:
The と particle is almost always attached. Can also appear without と as そそくさ before certain verbs. The word implies a psychological motivation for haste — the person isn't just fast, they actively want to leave or finish.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 急いで: hurriedly — neutral, no implication of discomfort
- さっさと: quickly; promptly — can be impatient or efficient, not necessarily uncomfortable
- こそこそ: sneakily; furtively — emphasizes secrecy rather than haste