わくわく

• Reading: わくわく
• Romaji: wakuwaku
• Pronunciation: /wa.kɯ.wa.kɯ/

Meaning

Excited; thrilled; eager. A feeling of joyful anticipation.

An onomatopoeic adverb used with する (わくわくする). Describes the bubbling, restless excitement of looking forward to something fun. A purely positive word unlike 興奮, which can be negative. Very common in casual speech, especially among younger speakers.

Examples

1. 明日は遠足だからわくわくして眠れない。 Tomorrow's the field trip, so I'm too excited to sleep.
2. 新しいゲームを買ってわくわくしている。 I bought a new game and I'm so thrilled.
3. 旅行の計画を立てるとわくわくする。 I get excited just planning a trip.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, entertainment, travel

Tone: excited

Origin & History

A Japanese mimetic word (giongo). The repeated わく evokes the sensation of something welling up inside — excitement bubbling up like water from a spring (湧く means to well up).

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Young people

Social background: Universal