弱々しい・弱弱しい|よわよわしいyowayowashii[5]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. i-adjectiveweak; weakly; feeble; frail; delicate; faint (voice, sunlight, etc.)
   その弱々よわよわしい患者かんじゃは胃癌いがんに苦くるしんでいる。↗

   The feeble patient is suffering from stomach cancer.

• Synonym弱いよわいNeutralThe everyday word for weak: it covers lack of strength or ability in general and, unlike 「弱々しい」, does not stress a visibly feeble appearance.
• Synonym脆弱ぜいじゃくWrittenWritten register. Fragile in the sense of a structure or system that could easily break down; mostly for non-living things, not a person's feeble look.
• Synonym虚弱きょじゃくWrittenWritten register. Weak constitution or health, as in 「虚弱体質」. It targets physical frailty itself, not a weak-looking voice or smile.
• Synonymか弱いかよわいCasualColloquial. Looks delicate and frail, as if needing protection; mostly said of women. Close to the headword's sense of visible weakness.
• Synonym柔弱にゅうじゃくWrittenWritten and rare. Stresses a lack of backbone and physical stamina; it judges character more than 「弱々しい」, which just describes a feeble look.
• Synonym羸弱るいじゃくWrittenWritten and rare. Describes a thin, drained body — frailty you can see in the physique itself rather than in a voice or smile.
• Synonymひ弱ひよわCasualColloquial. Body or spirit not tough enough — lacking resilience. Often seen in 「ひ弱な子」, and leans toward physical constitution.
• RelatedもろいNeutralNeutral. Brittle — breaks or falls apart easily — and by extension soft-hearted, quick to tears. It never paints the feeble look 「弱々しい」 does.
• Related惰弱だじゃくWrittenWritten and rare. Points to a weak will and lack of drive — listless, spineless — rather than the physical feebleness 「弱々しい」 describes.
• RelatedよぼよぼCasualColloquial. Feeble and tottering, unsteady on the feet; mostly the elderly, but also the sick and frail. Narrower than 「弱々しい」.
• Relatedか細いかぼそいCasualColloquial. Thin as well as weak — a slender arm, a faint voice. 「弱々しい」 instead stresses looking drained of strength, as in 「弱々しい笑顔」.
• Antonym力強いちからづよいNeutralNeutral antonym. Full of power — a strong voice or forceful movements. The direct opposite of 「弱々しい」 and its weak, listless air.
• AntonymたくましいNeutralNeutral antonym. Sturdy and strong-willed, solid in both body and spirit — the opposite of the frail, easily broken image of 「弱々しい」.

Use 「弱々しい」 for a visibly weak, feeble look, as in 「弱々しい声」 or 「弱々しい笑顔」. For weakness in general use 「弱い」; for a delicate, frail air use 「か弱い」. The opposites are 「力強い」 and 「逞しい」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. とても弱よわそうに見みえる。力ちから、活力かつりょくなどがない様子ようすである。