クスクス

• 読み: くすくす
• ローマ字: kusu kusu
• 発音: /kɯ.sɯ.kɯ.sɯ/

意味

Giggling, snickering, or laughing quietly — often behind one's hand or trying to suppress laughter.

クスクス is the sound of stifled, quiet laughter. It can be innocent — friends sharing a private joke and trying not to laugh out loud — or it can be mean-spirited, like snickering at someone behind their back. The context determines whether it's endearing or cruel. When you hear people クスクス笑う about you, it often feels like being talked about, creating an uncomfortable feeling.

例文

1. 授業中にクスクス笑ってたら先生に怒られた。
2. 後ろでクスクス笑われてる気がして振り向いた。
3. 二人でクスクス笑いながらヒソヒソ話してた。

使い方ガイド

場面: daily life, school, social situations

トーン: quiet, secretive

正しい言い方

• 面白くてクスクスしちゃった (It was funny and I couldn't help giggling)
• クスクス笑いが止まらなかった (I couldn't stop snickering)

避ける言い方

• 人の前でクスクス笑うと陰口に見える (Snickering in front of someone looks like you're making fun of them)

よくある間違い

• Always assuming クスクス is mean-spirited — it can be innocent giggling between friends too
• Confusing with ゲラゲラ — クスクス is specifically quiet, suppressed laughter

起源と歴史

Onomatopoeia imitating the sound of suppressed, quiet laughter. The くす sound captures the soft exhale of trying to hold back a giggle. Long established in Japanese for describing discreet laughter.

文化的背景

時代: Traditional onomatopoeia

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. Common in school settings and in manga to depict background characters whispering and giggling.