うっそうと
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.
木がうっそうと茂る。
The trees grow densely.
うっそうとした森を歩いた。
I walked through a thickly wooded forest.
古い神社の周りには、うっそうとした杉の木が何百年も立ち続けていた。
Around the old shrine, dense cedars had stood for hundreds of years.
Sometimes written 鬱蒼と in formal text but more commonly in kana. Often carries a slightly gloomy or atmospheric nuance — the density blocks light.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- うっそうと茂る: grow densely
- うっそうとした森: thickly wooded forest
- うっそうとした木立: dense grove
- うっそうと生い茂る: grow thickly and lushly
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 青々と: vivid green — emphasizes color, not density
- もこもこ: bushy; fluffy — visual texture, not specifically vegetation
- 鬱蒼たる: same meaning, more literary/formal form