ジロジロ

• Reading: じろじろ
• Romaji: jiro jiro
• Pronunciation: /dʑi.ɾo.dʑi.ɾo/

Meaning

Staring rudely or looking someone up and down in an intrusive way.

ジロジロ describes an uncomfortable, lingering gaze — the kind that makes people self-conscious. It always carries a negative connotation, implying the staring is unwelcome, rude, or judgmental. In Japanese culture where avoiding direct eye contact is often considered polite, ジロジロ見る is especially frowned upon. It's commonly used to tell someone to stop staring or to complain about being watched.

Examples

1. ジロジロ見ないでくれる？気持ち悪いんだけど。 Could you stop staring? It's creepy.
2. 外国人だからってジロジロ見るのは失礼だよ。 Staring at someone just because they're a foreigner is rude.
3. さっきからあの人にジロジロ見られてる気がする。 I feel like that person over there has been staring at me this whole time.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, public situations, complaints

Tone: negative, uncomfortable

Do Say

• ジロジロ見んなよ (Stop staring at me)
• 人のことジロジロ見るのやめなさい (Stop staring at people like that)

Don't Say

• 「ジロジロ見て」とお願いする場面はない (You wouldn't ask someone to stare at you — it's always unwanted)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing with じっと見る which can be neutral (gazing intently) — ジロジロ is always negative and rude
• Using ジロジロ to describe admiring someone — use うっとり instead

Origin & History

Onomatopoeia expressing the sensation of a piercing, lingering gaze. The repeated じろ (jiro) emphasizes the sustained, uncomfortable nature of the staring. Has been in use since at least the Meiji period.

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional onomatopoeia

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Particularly relevant in discussions about social etiquette and foreigner experiences in Japan.