Japanese word

生々しい

Pronunciation

Romajinamanamashii

Meaning

  • i-adjectivevivid

Example

その描写はとても生々しいです。so no byō sha wa to te mo nama nama shi i de su

That description is very vivid.

Illustration for 生々しい (vivid)

More examples

その小説は町の暮らしを生々しく描いています。so no shō setsu wa machi no ku ra shi o nama nama shi ku ega i te i ma su

The novel vividly portrays life in the town.

Core concept

Describes something that feels directly present because its details are fresh, vivid, and lifelike rather than distant or softened.

Common phrases

  • 生々しい描写nama nama shi i byō sha

    vivid description

  • 生々しい記憶nama nama shi i ki oku

    vivid memory

  • 生々しい映像nama nama shi i ei zō

    graphic footage

Definition in Japanese

実際に見たり聞いたりしたように感じられるほど、ありありとしているさま。jis sai ni mi ta ri ki i ta ri shi ta yō ni kan ji ra re ru ho do a ri a ri to shi te i ru sa ma

Word origin

The native Japanese adjective 生々しい (namanamashii, "vivid; raw") repeats 生 (nama, "raw; unprocessed"), with the repetition strengthening the sense of freshness, directness, or lifelike detail.

Usage tips

  • Although vivid is the usual English translation, graphic often suggests disturbing detail in English, while 生々しい (namanamashii, "vivid; raw") can simply mean strikingly lifelike or fresh.

Other meanings

  • graphici-adjective
  • freshi-adjective
  • rawi-adjective
  • true-to-lifei-adjective

Opposites

  • 抽象的chūshōtekiabstractna-adjective

Related words

  • 生々しさnamanamashisavividnessnoun

Word lists with this word