Entry
ぱらっと
paratto
This word describes a brief, light action such as quickly flipping through a book, lightly sprinkling seasoning, or a sudden, sparse fall of rain.
Meaning
Quick Meaning
ぱらっと (paratto) focuses on a single, momentary event. The '-tto' suffix gives the nuance that the action is done once or suddenly, distinguishing it from 'parapara', which implies repeated or continuous action. It is typically used for light hand movements like flipping pages, scattering salt, or a brief spell of light rain.
- Quick physical flip (pages)
- Light sprinkling (seasoning)
- Brief light fall (rain/leaves)
Sense Map
Flipping Pages
Describes the rapid movement of opening or flipping a page in a book or document.
雑誌をぱらっとめくる。
Sprinkling Seasoning
Describes lightly scattering a small amount of salt or spices over something.
塩をぱらっと振る。
Light Rain/Falling
Describes a brief and sparse fall of rain, snow, or leaves.
雨がぱらっと降る。
Usage Note
How to Use
ぱらっと + verb
Placed directly before an action verb (like flip, sprinkle, look) to indicate that the action is done very quickly, lightly, or in a single motion.
How to Use
Common Phrases
ぱらっとめくる
flip through quickly
塩をぱらっと振る
sprinkle a little salt
雨がぱらっと降る
rain falls briefly
ぱらっと見る
take a quick look
Nuance
Context Nuance
| Common Contexts | Nuance | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
| Flipping pages (books/magazines) | neutral | Describes a quick physical action of turning pages, often without reading deeply. |
| Weather (light rain/snow) | neutral | Indicates that the rain or snow started suddenly but is very light and will likely be brief. |
| Seasoning food | neutral | Describes scattering a small amount of powder or seasoning lightly over a surface. |
Similar Words
Comparison Table
| Similar Words | When to Use | Not the Same as | Mini Example |
|---|---|---|---|
ぱらぱら ぱらぱら / similar | Used when an action is continuous or repeated multiple times (such as continuously leafing through a book or rain pattering down). | While ぱらっと emphasizes a single, brief moment, ぱらぱら emphasizes the repetition or continuation of that light action. | ページをぱらぱらめくる |
ざっと ざっと / similar | Used when doing something roughly or cursorily, such as skimming through a document without focusing on details. | ざっと focuses on the lack of detail ('roughly'), whereas ぱらっと focuses more on the quick physical movement of the hands or the brevity of the action. | 資料をざっと読む |
Usage Note
Common Mistakes
Using ぱらっと to describe a continuous heavy downpour.
This word is exclusively for brief, light sprinkles. For heavy rain, use ざあざあ (zaazaa).
Using ぱらっと to mean reading deeply or studying carefully.
It implies a very quick, superficial skim. If you want to say you read something carefully, use じっくり (jikkuri).
Examples
Examples
雑誌をぱらっとめくって、記事を探した。
ざっしをぱらっとめくって、きじをさがした。
I quickly flipped through the magazine looking for the article.
LiteralShows the physical action of quickly turning a magazine page.
仕上げに塩をぱらっと振ります。
しあげにしおをぱらっとふります。
Sprinkle a little salt as a finishing touch.
LiteralImplies a light, small amount of seasoning being scattered.
空から雨がぱらっと降ってきた。
そらからあめがぱらっとふってきた。
Light rain started to fall sparsely from the sky.
VisualDescribes light, brief rain occurring suddenly.
会議の前に、書類をぱらっと見た。
かいぎのまえに、しょるいをぱらっとみた。
Before the meeting, I took a quick look at the documents.
LiteralShows the action of looking at something quickly without studying details.
木から葉がぱらっと落ちた。
きからはがぱらっとおちた。
A few leaves fell lightly from the tree.
VisualDescribes leaves falling sparsely and lightly.
Similar Words
ぱらぱら
parapara
Describes light scattered drops of rain, the quick sound of flipping through pages, or a loose, non-sticky texture like perfect fried rice. For the same light action but done repeatedly or continuously.
ざっと
zatto
Zatto means to do something quickly and superficially or indicates a rough estimate without fine details. For doing something roughly or without looking at details.
ポツポツ
potsupotsu
A word describing light drops falling, scattered small spots, or things progressing little by little.
ふらっと
furatto
ふらっと (furatto) describes doing something on a whim, such as dropping by a place or going out without any prior plan.
Questions
What is the difference between ぱらっと (paratto) and ぱらぱら (parapara)?
The word 'ぱらっと' represents a one-time, brief action (like flipping a page once quickly). Meanwhile, 'ぱらぱら' represents a continuous or repeated action (like continuously flipping through multiple pages).
Can I use ぱらっと for heavy rain?
No. It is only appropriate for a very light, sparse, and usually brief sprinkle of rain.
Does using ぱらっと mean I didn't pay attention?
Sometimes. When used with seeing (ぱらっと見る), it implies that you took a quick glance rather than absorbing the fine details.
Source Details
- Entry ID
- 2766690
- Source
- JMdict_english
- Revision
- -
- Review notes
- Needs review
- Active language
- English
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