How to say "licking" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- adverb (with と)Covers light, repeated licking and lapping up. It is the quick little licks of a tongue flicking over something, as when a cat or dog licks a person or laps up water.
- adverb (with と)A mimetic word for licking in general; it implies no particular manner, adding an onomatopoeic touch to the description rather than specifying how the licking is done.
- 舐め舐めなめなめnoun, suru verbA colloquial, doubled expression for licking, at home in casual speech; it is seldom the word you want for neutral description of the action.
- adverbDescribes a single quick lick of something, and also the gesture of sticking out one's tongue; the image is one brief motion of the tongue.
- adverb (with と), suru verbEvokes repeated sucking, with the sound that goes with it; its licking sense is licking combined with sucking, so it is seldom the word for plain licking.
All five are less-common alternatives to a plain verb: 「ペロペロ」 for light licks or lapping up, 「ベロベロ」 for licking in general, 「べろっと」 for a single lick or a stuck-out tongue, 「チュパチュパ」 for licking with sucking, 「舐め舐め」 for casual speech.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
