Entry
からり
karari
Used when something is perfectly clear, dry, or crisp, or when a person is frank and cheerful.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
からり is used for a cloudless sky after rain, laundry that has dried through, fried food that is light and not greasy, an open-hearted manner, or a memory that is gone without residue. The point is the absence of moisture, clouds, oil, or lingering weight. It is not a taste word for sour or spicy food, and it does not mean a cold person.
- A bright, cloudless sky or dry air
- Laundry, cloth, or air that is completely dry
- Fried food that is crisp and not greasy
- An open, cheerful, straightforward personality
Sense Map
Weather and atmosphere
Used when the sky is clear or the air feels dry and light.
梅雨が明けて空がからりと晴れた。
Dryness and texture
Used for things that are fully dry, or food fried to a light crisp.
天ぷらがからりと揚がっている。
Personality and mind
Used for someone open-hearted, honest, and not holding onto secrets or grudges.
彼女はからりとした性格だ。
Usage Note
How to Use
からりと + verb (晴れる, 乾く, 揚がる, 忘れる)
Adverbial use: something becomes clear, dry, crisp, or completely forgotten.
からりとした + noun (天気, 性格, 衣)
Modifies weather, an object, or a personality that feels clear, dry, or frank.
How to Use
Common Phrases
からりと晴れる
to clear up into a bright, open sky
からりと乾く
to dry out completely
からりと揚がる
to be fried light and crisp
からりと忘れる
to forget something entirely
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | positive | Often praises a clean, refreshing sky after rain or the rainy season. |
| Cooking | positive | A compliment for fried food that is crisp, light, and not oily. |
| Memory | neutral | Marks a clean break from the past, without lingering regret. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
からっと からっと / similar | For weather or fried food, especially when the result feels immediate and casual. | からり sounds a little more descriptive. からっと is sharper and more colloquial. | 今日はからっとした天気だ。 |
さっぱり さっぱり / similar | When you feel refreshed after a bath, or after eating something light. | からり focuses on dryness or brightness. さっぱり focuses on feeling refreshed or clean. | お風呂に入ってさっぱりした。 |
こってり こってり / opposite | For heavy, greasy, or richly flavored food. | からり is light and dry. こってり is heavy and thick. | こってりしたラーメンを食べる。 |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using からり for laundry that is still damp.
からり fits only when the cloth is thoroughly dry, with no leftover moisture.
Using からり for a cold or distant person.
からり praises someone frank, cheerful, and easy to talk to, not someone aloof.
Examples
Examples
梅雨が明けて、空がからりと晴れわたった。
つゆがあけて、そらがからりとはれわたった。
After the rainy season ended, the sky cleared up beautifully.
VisualDescribes a cloudless blue sky after a long period of rain.
洗濯物が太陽の光を浴びてからりと乾いた。
せんたくものがたいようのひかりをあびてからりとかわいた。
The laundry dried out completely under the sunlight.
LiteralThe state where there is no moisture left in the fabric.
揚げたての天ぷらがからりと揚がっていて美味しい。
あげたてのてんぷらがからりとあがっていておいしい。
The freshly fried tempura is perfectly crisp and delicious.
LiteralDescribes a light, non-greasy, and crunchy texture of fried food.
彼女はからりとした性格で、誰からも好かれている。
かのじょはからりとしたせいかくで、だれからもすかれている。
She has a frank and cheerful personality, so everyone likes her.
FigurativeIndicates an open-hearted person who doesn't hold grudges.
嫌な出来事をからりと忘れて、前を向くことにした。
いやなできごとをからりとわすれて、まえをむくことにした。
I completely forgot about the bad event and decided to move forward.
FigurativeTo forget something entirely without any lingering regret.
Similar Words
からっと
karatto
"Karatto" is an adverb describing weather or air that is refreshingly dry, food that is pleasantly cooked, or an attitude that is frank and clear. Very close. からっと is more casual and often stresses an immediate result.
さっぱり
sappari
Describes a clean and unburdened state, such as feeling refreshed, having a light taste, or completely lacking something when used with a negative verb. Focuses on feeling refreshed or clean after something is removed, not on dryness or brightness.
こってり
kotteri
Describes a rich, heavy, or thick consistency, as well as an intense action like a severe scolding. The opposite of dry and light: used for greasy, rich, heavy food.
Questions
What is the difference between からり and からっと?
They are close. からっと is more casual and often stresses an instant change. からり more often describes an ongoing state: clear, dry, or open.
Can からり describe a cold person?
No. からり describes someone warm, frank, and easy to talk to.
Is からり only for tempura?
No. It is used for weather, laundry, fried food in general, an open personality, or forgetting something completely, as long as the feeling is dry, clear, or free of leftover weight.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 1003040
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- No special notes
- Active language
- English
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