どんどん

• Reading: どんどん
• Romaji: dondon
• Pronunciation: /doɴ.doɴ/

Meaning

Rapidly; steadily; one after another. Describes continuous and vigorous progression.

An onomatopoeic adverb (擬態語) that expresses rapid, continuous progression. Can describe physical sounds (drums, knocking) or abstract progress (prices rising, skills improving). どんどん食べてください (please eat as much as you like) is a common hospitable expression. One of the most useful mimetic words at N4.

Examples

1. 日本語がどんどん上手になっていますね。 Your Japanese is getting better and better!
2. 夏になると気温がどんどん上がります。 When summer comes, the temperature keeps rising steadily.
3. 新しい店がどんどんできている。 New stores keep opening one after another.

Usage Guide

Context: progress, encouragement, description

Tone: energetic

Origin & History

An onomatopoeic word mimicking the sound of drumbeats or repeated pounding — ドンドン. The repetitive beat evokes the idea of steady, relentless progression forward.

Cultural Context

Era: Early Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal