細々 | Japanese meaning

細々【ほそぼそ】

Frequency rank: 11,852. – 11,879.

adverb (fukushi); adverb taking the 'to' particle

poor (living)
barely continuing; just scraping along

noun or verb acting prenominally

very narrowas ... とした

Forms

細々【ほそぼそ】Frequency rank: 11,852. – 11,879.
細細【ほそぼそ】
ほそぼそ

Generated definitions (experimental)

poor (living)

This meaning refers to a meager or inadequate lifestyle, often indicating that someone is struggling to make ends meet.

。

He is living in a poor condition.

。

Her household is in need of a poor living.

barely continuing; just scraping along

This meaning suggests a situation where someone is managing to get by, but just barely, often implying a struggle to maintain a certain standard of living.

。

He is barely continuing his work.

。

The company is just scraping along in its operations.

very narrow

This meaning describes a physical dimension, indicating something that has very little width.

。

This road is very narrow and difficult to pass.

、。

His very narrow gaze indicates that he is watching someone closely.

Generated collocations (experimental)

to live in a poor or frugal mannerto continue barely; to scrape alonga frugal lifestylea faint sounda small-scale businessminor or minor taskssmall expensesminor circumstancesa narrow path

Wiktionary definitions (experimental)

ひじょうに非常にほそい細いさま．.

ある或うすらさむい薄ら寒いあきのひ秋の日のくれ暮、かれ彼はいちぽん一本のもろこし唐黍（からきび)にこつ忽（たちまち）このがか画家をおもひ思ひだした出した．.たけ丈のたかい高いもろこし唐黍はあらあらしい荒あらしいは葉をよろつたまま、もりつち盛り土のうえ上にはしんけい神経のやうにほそぼそ細ぼそとね根をろ露あらはしていゐた．.きごう（あくたがわ芥川りゅうのすけ龍之介きごう『ある或あほう阿呆のいっしょう一生きごう』きごう「じそじ二十二　ある或がか画家きごう」しょうわ昭和にねん2年きごう）

かろうじて辛うじてつづいている続いているさま．.

Wiktionary

Example sentences

1 result

1. 、、。

Encouraged by the continuing trickle of hits and the rarely arriving email I've somehow kept going till now.

Tatoeba