ばりばり

Japanese

Etymology

Probably onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ばりばり [báꜜrìbàrì] (Atamadaka – [1]) (adverb)
• (Tokyo) ばりばり [bàríbárí] (Heiban – [0]) (noun, adjective)
• IPA^(key): [ba̠ɾʲiba̠ɾʲi]

Adjective

ばりばり • (baribari) -na (adnominal ばりばりな (baribari na), adverbial ばりばりに (baribari ni))

1. stiff, rigid

   ばりばりに凍(こお)る

   baribari ni kōru

   to freeze solid

2. energetic, vigorous

   第(だい)一(いっ)線(せん)でばりばりな社(しゃ)員(いん)

   daīssen de baribari na shain

   vigorous employee on the front lines

Adverb

ばりばり • (baribari) 

1. stiffly, rigidly

   のりがきいてばりばりとした浴(ゆ)衣(かた)

   nori ga kiite baribari to shita yukata

   stiffly starched yukata

2. expressing the sound or state of forcefully tearing or peeling something

   ふすま紙(かみ)をばりばりと裂(さ)く

   fusuma kami o baribari to saku

   tear the fusuma paper with a ripping sound

3. expressing the sound or state of biting something hard: crunchily

   たくあんをばりばりかむ

   takuan o baribari kamu

   crunch on a piece of takuwan

4. (referring to someone doing a task or activity) energetically, vigorously

   ばりばり仕(し)事(ごと)をこなす

   baribari shigoto o konasu

   tackle work energetically

5. expressing a loud continuous sound, such as when firing bullets: with rat-tat-tats

   ばりばりと機(き)銃(じゅう)で掃(そう)射(しゃ)する

   baribari to kijū de sōsha suru

   spray with a machine gun with rat-tat-tats

Noun

ばりばり • (baribari) 

1. state of being or something stiff or rigid
2. state of being energetic; someone having momentum