Have you ever felt so cheerful before a trip that your mood became light and your steps almost seemed lighter too?
Or imagined all the things waiting for you on that trip and felt excitement growing inside?
In Japanese, these two closely related happy feelings can be expressed as:
Uki Uki (うきうき)
Waku Waku (わくわく)
These expressions overlap a lot, and in many happy situations, either one may feel natural. But uki uki tends to focus more on your present cheerful, buoyant mood, while waku waku tends to focus more on excitement and anticipation about something that is going to happen.
Differences Between “Uki Uki” and “Waku Waku”
| Expression | Meaning | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Uki Uki (うきうき) | Feeling cheerful, lighthearted, and excited | Your mood is already bright and buoyant |
| Waku Waku (わくわく) | Feeling excited and full of anticipation | Excitement about something that is coming or about to happen |
In short:
- Uki uki → your mood feels light, cheerful, and lifted
- Waku waku → excitement and anticipation are building inside you
Examples in Daily Life
Example 1: Feeling cheerful about tomorrow’s trip (Uki Uki)
Her trip was tomorrow.
As she packed her bag, she hummed to herself and moved around the room with a light, cheerful feeling —
uki uki…
Just knowing that she was going on a trip had already lifted her mood.
Example 2: Looking forward to tomorrow’s trip (Waku Waku)
Her trip was tomorrow.
She imagined the places she would see, the food she might try, and all the unexpected things that could happen —
waku waku…
The more she thought about what was waiting for her, the more excited she became.
Try Using Them!
Tomorrow is your trip, and you’re already in a wonderfully cheerful, lighthearted mood?
→ Say uki uki
Tomorrow is your trip, and you can’t wait to discover what adventures are waiting for you?
→ Say waku waku
The feelings can overlap — and you might even feel both at the same time!
Uki uki focuses more on how cheerful and lifted you feel now, while waku waku focuses more on the excitement and anticipation of what is still to come.
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