うっそうと

adverb

densely; lushly; thickly (of vegetation)

1. densely; lushly; thickly (of trees or vegetation)

Describes vegetation growing thickly enough to block out light and create a shadowy atmosphere. Almost always paired with verbs of growing or covering.

木(き)がうっそうと茂(しげ)る。

The trees grow densely.

うっそうとした森(もり)を歩(ある)いた。

I walked through a thickly wooded forest.

古(ふる)い神社(じんじゃ)の周(まわ)りには、うっそうとした杉(すぎ)の木(き)が何百年(なんびゃくねん)も立(た)ち続(つづ)けていた。

Around the old shrine, dense cedars had stood for hundreds of years.

Sometimes written 鬱蒼(うっそう)と in formal text but more commonly in kana. Often carries a slightly gloomy or atmospheric nuance — the density blocks light.

Common collocations

うっそうと茂(しげ)る: grow densely
うっそうとした森(もり): thickly wooded forest
うっそうとした木立(こだち): dense grove
うっそうと生(お)い茂(しげ)る: grow thickly and lushly

Similar words

青々(あおあお)と: vivid green — emphasizes color, not density
もこもこ: bushy; fluffy — visual texture, not specifically vegetation
鬱蒼(うっそう)たる: same meaning, more literary/formal form

Related Words

Compare: もこもこ (bushy)

general

Added 2026.5.29 13:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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