Entry
ちょろっと
chorotto
A casual adverb describing a very brief action, a tiny amount, or a small trickle of liquid.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
ちょろっと (chorotto) is a casual expression describing an action that is done for a very short duration, such as dropping by briefly or glancing at something. It also vividly depicts a tiny amount of liquid trickling out, or a careless and quick slip of the tongue.
- Very brief actions
- Tiny trickles of liquid
- Careless or sudden slips
Sense Map
Brief Action
Doing something very quickly or casually dropping by for a short time.
帰りにちょろっと寄る
Tiny Amount / Trickle
A very small amount of something appearing, or liquid flowing in a thin trickle.
水がちょろっと出る
Careless Slip
Saying or doing something casually without much forethought.
秘密をちょろっと漏らす
Usage Note
How to Use
ちょろっと + verb
Used before an action verb to show that the action is done casually and quickly.
ちょろっと + 出る (for liquid)
Used with verbs meaning to come out, indicating a very small trickle or drop.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ちょろっと見る
glance quickly
ちょろっと寄る
drop by briefly
ちょろっと出る
trickle out
ちょろっと話す
speak briefly
ちょろっと漏らす
slip out a bit of info
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Brief actions (stopping by, looking) | casual | Indicates the action is low-effort and will take almost no time. |
| Flowing liquid | neutral | Visually depicts a weak, tiny stream or drip. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ちょっと ちょっと / similar | The standard, general word for 'a little' or 'a bit' in almost any context. | ちょろっと is much more colloquial, vivid, and specifically emphasizes extreme brevity or a tiny physical trickle. | ちょっと待って |
ちらっと ちらっと / similar | Specifically used for brief sight (glancing) or sound (overhearing). | While ちらっと is limited to sensory perception, ちょろっと can be used for physical actions like stopping by, or for trickling liquids. | ちらっと見る |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ちょろっと for large amounts of liquid.
It only refers to a very small trickle. For a large rush of water, use どばっと.
Using ちょろっと in formal business situations.
It sounds very unprofessional. Use 少し (sukoshi) or 少々 (shoushou) in formal contexts.
Examples
Examples
帰りにスーパーにちょろっと寄った。
かえりにスーパーにちょろっとよった。
I dropped by the supermarket briefly on the way home.
LiteralIndicates that the visit was very quick and required little effort.
蛇口から水がちょろっと出ている。
じゃぐちからみずがちょろっとでている。
Water is trickling weakly from the faucet.
VisualVisually describes a very weak, tiny stream or drip of water.
会議の資料をちょろっと見た。
かいぎのしりょうをちょろっとみた。
I quickly glanced through the meeting documents.
LiteralImplies the viewing was very brief and likely superficial.
うっかり秘密をちょろっと漏らしてしまった。
うっかりひみつをちょろっともらしてしまった。
I accidentally slipped a bit of the secret out.
FigurativeDescribes words coming out carelessly without prior thought.
料理に醤油をちょろっとかける。
りょうりにしょうゆをちょろっとかける。
Drizzle just a tiny bit of soy sauce on the dish.
VisualEmphasizes that the amount added is truly minuscule.
Similar Words
ちょっと
chotto
Neutral word for 'a little' or 'briefly'.
ちょろり
chorori
Flowing in a small trickle, or doing something very quickly, briefly, or carelessly.
ささっと
sasatto
Sasatto means performing an action quickly, nimbly, and efficiently in a short amount of time.
ざっと
zatto
Zatto means to do something quickly and superficially or indicates a rough estimate without fine details.
ちらっと
chiratto
To see or hear something briefly or by accident. For glancing or briefly overhearing.
Questions
Is ちょろっと appropriate for work emails?
No, it is too casual for business settings. You should use standard words like 少々 (shoushou) instead.
How is it different from ちょっと?
It is more expressive and narrower in meaning, vividly focusing on the extreme smallness or shortness of an event compared to the neutral ちょっと (chotto).
Does it only describe water?
No. While it describes small trickles, it is just as common to describe doing something for a very short duration.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2709530
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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