A liquid-permeable nonwoven fibrous fabric which permits a viscous bodily fluid to pass therethrough.The liquid-permeable nonwoven fibrous fabric (1) comprises staple fibers (2) formed from a thermoplastic synthetic resin and disposed in the state of being fusion-bonded to one another. The front surface (3) thereof has ridges (6) and grooves (7), the ridges (6) and the grooves (7) extending in parallel with one another in the lengthwise direction (A) and being alternately arranged in the crosswise direction (B). The proportion of the height (t) from the back surface (4) of the nonwoven fibrous fabric (1) to the bottom (12) of each groove (7) to the height (T) from the back surface (4) to the top (11) of each ridge (6) is in the range of 40-55%. The front surface (3) includes fibers (2a) which are staple fibers (2) each extending between adjacent grooves (7) through the ridge (6) and which have been fusion-bonded to other staple fibers (2) in each of the grooves (7).
