PETTO-RI ぺっとり
Meanings
Describes a small amount of something slightly sticky or moist lightly adhering to a surface.
Examples
Spread a little jam stickily over the toast.
トーストにジャムをぺっとりつける。
A few rain-soaked strands of hair clung damply to her cheek.
雨に濡れた髪の毛が数本、頬にぺっとりとついた。
Dogmatic Opinion
My purely personal scale of contact area is something like PETTA-RI > PETTO-RI > PITTO-RI.
PETTA-RI might be tens of centimeters—the area of a bottom against the floor.
PETTO-RI might be several centimeters—a dab of jam or hair product.
PITTO-RI might be only a few millimeters—the tip of a baby’s little finger.
Again, this is entirely my own impression.
PETTO-RI sits in the middle: a little moisture or viscosity creates a small but noticeable patch of adhesion.
Related Words
For Japanese Learners
Cling damply, stick lightly, a sticky dab, and adhere with a little moisture may fit. PETTO-RI is about mild stickiness over a relatively small area; translating it simply as “sticky” can lose the contact-size image emphasized on this page.
