Entry
ちらほら
chirahora
Describes things that are scattered in small numbers or happen occasionally rather than all at once.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
ちらほら (chirahora) is an adverb used to describe the sparse or sporadic existence, occurrence, or perception of something. It often depicts visual scenes like a few cherry blossoms blooming here and there, small clusters of people arriving, or a few gray hairs standing out. It can also describe abstract concepts, such as hearing rumors or news occasionally.
- Scattered here and there
- Happening occasionally
Sense Map
Scattered Spatially
Appearing in small numbers here and there (e.g., flowers, people, gray hairs).
桜がちらほら咲く。
Sporadic Temporally
Happening or being heard occasionally over time (e.g., rumors, news).
うわさをちらほら耳にする。
Usage Note
How to Use
ちらほら + verb
Acts directly as an adverb modifying the verb to indicate a sparse or sporadic action.
ちらほらと + verb
The addition of と is optional but often makes the adverbial connection sound slightly softer.
noun + が + ちらほら
How to Use
Common Phrases
ちらほら見かける
to see here and there
ちらほら咲く
to bloom sparsely
ちらほら耳にする
to hear occasionally
白髪がちらほら
a few gray hairs here and there
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Flowers blooming or snow falling | positive | Often carries a gentle, poetic feeling of a season beginning. |
| Noticing gray hairs | neutral | A clinical, objective way to say that one is getting a few gray hairs. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ちらちら ちらちら / nearby | When describing something continuously flickering, fluttering, or falling lightly (like snow or small petals), emphasizing continuous visual movement. | ちらほら emphasizes that things are scattered in small numbers or happen infrequently, not the movement itself. | 雪がちらちら降る。 |
ぽつぽつ ぽつぽつ / nearby | When describing scattered dots or things happening little by little, especially the start of rain. | ポツポツ is typically for rain drops or small spots, while ちらほら is for scattered people, blooming flowers, or occasional events. | 雨がポツポツ降り始めた。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ちらほら for dense, crowded, or continuous situations.
It should only be used for sparse, scattered, or infrequent occurrences.
Using it to describe the physical flickering of lights.
Use ちらちら for flickering lights; ちらほら is about distribution over space or time.
Examples
Examples
桜がちらほら咲き始めました。
さくらがちらほらさきはじめました。
Cherry blossoms have started to bloom here and there.
VisualFocuses on a few flowers blooming in various spots.
会場に人がちらほら集まってきた。
かいじょうにひとがちらほらあつまってきた。
People have started to gather at the venue in twos and threes.
LiteralShows people arriving not all at once, but gradually in small numbers.
最近、彼のうわさをちらほら耳にする。
さいきん、かれのうわさをちらほらみみにする。
Recently, I've been hearing rumors about him now and then.
FigurativeUsed for abstract things like news or rumors heard occasionally.
髪に白髪がちらほら混じっている。
かみにしらががちらほらまじっている。
There are a few gray hairs mixed in here and there.
VisualDescribes the sparse appearance of something that stands out visually.
雪がちらほらと降り始めた。
ゆきがちらほらとふりはじめた。
Snow has started to fall sparsely.
VisualEmphasizes that the snow is just starting and is not yet heavy.
Similar Words
ちらちら
chirachira
Describes light things falling gently, lights flickering, or the act of glancing at something repeatedly. For continuous flickering or fluttering movements.
ポツポツ
potsupotsu
A word describing light drops falling, scattered small spots, or things progressing little by little. For scattered dots or things happening little by little, especially rain.
Questions
Can ちらほら be used for rain?
It is not typically used for rain. For scattered raindrops, ポツポツ (potsupotsu) is the natural choice.
What is the difference between ちらほら and ちらちら?
ちらほら implies spatial or temporal scattering (here and there, occasionally). ちらちら describes continuous small movements, like flickering lights, fluttering petals, or glancing repeatedly.
Is ちらほら formal or informal?
It is a neutral, everyday word that can be used in both polite and casual speech.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2008950
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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