おどおどした

• Reading: おどおどした
• Romaji: odoodoshita
• Pronunciation: /o.do.o.do.ɕi.ta/

Meaning

Timid; nervous; fidgety; ill at ease. Describes visibly anxious, skittish behaviour born of fear or lack of confidence.

The past/adjectival form of おどおどする, which is onomatopoeic — おどおど evokes nervous flinching or startled movement. Used to describe both manner (おどおどした目つき — nervous, darting eyes) and disposition. Unlike 内気 (introversion), おどおどした focuses specifically on visible anxiety and fearfulness in a given moment. Antonym: 堂々とした (dignified, self-assured).

Examples

1. 初めての面接でおどおどした様子では、採用担当者に悪印象を与えてしまう。 Appearing nervous and fidgety at your first job interview will leave a bad impression on the recruiter.
2. 彼はおどおどした目で部屋を見渡し、知り合いが誰もいないと気づいた。 He looked around the room with nervous, darting eyes and realised there was no one he knew.
3. 普段はおどおどした態度の彼が、舞台に立つと別人のように堂々としていた。 The usually timid and nervous person he was transformed completely when he stepped onto the stage, carrying himself with remarkable poise.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, workplace, social situations, character description

Tone: observational

Origin & History

Formed from the onomatopoeia おどおど, representing nervous, flinching movement, combined with する and past inflection. Onomatopoeic mimetics are a productive source of adjectives in Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal