ばさばさ

adverb, onomatopoeia

rustling; flapping; dry and disheveled

1. flapping; rustling (of wings, paper, cloth)

The sound or motion of dry, light material moving in the air — a bird's wings flapping, papers being shuffled, or a curtain rustling in a breeze.

The bird flapped its wings noisily.

He plopped the documents noisily onto the desk.

In the strong wind, the laundry flapped and rustled noisily.

2. dry and unkempt; frizzy; disheveled (especially of hair)

Describes hair, fur, or grass that is dry, rough, and lacks moisture or care. Almost always negative — implies neglect or poor condition.

髪(かみ)がばさばさだ。

My hair is dry and frizzy.

From the dryness, both my skin and hair have become rough and unkempt.

After not washing my hair for several days, it got so dry and tangled that a comb wouldn't go through.

Onomatopoeia for the sound or feel of dry, light material — wings, paper, cloth, or coarse hair.

SENSE 1 — SOUND/MOTION:

SENSE 2 — DRY HAIR/TEXTURE:

ぱさぱさ: dry, crumbly (especially of dry food or hair) — less coarse, more powdery-dry
がさがさ: rough, chapped (skin); also rustling — emphasizes rough texture
ばたばた: flapping with a heavier, more solid sound; also 'busy and rushed'

Related Words

general

Added 2026.6.3 11:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

28500/28627_basabasa