Translation guide
This entry covers how to express the idea of things appearing and disappearing in Japanese, including intermittent visibility, flickering, and coming and going.
Describing something that repeatedly becomes visible and then hidden, such as a light, an object, or a person.
A common pattern using the -tari form to express alternating states: 'appears and disappears'. Natural for describing flickering lights, objects in fog, etc.
霧の中で灯りが見えたり消えたりしていた。
The light was appearing and disappearing in the fog.
Noun meaning 'flickering' or 'blinking on and off'. Often used for lights, stars, or electronic displays.
星の明滅が美しい。
The twinkling of the stars is beautiful.
Verb meaning 'to flicker' or 'to appear intermittently'. Often used for lights, snow, or images.
蛍光灯がちらついている。
The fluorescent light is flickering.
Describing people or things that appear and then leave repeatedly, such as visitors or objects in a space.
Pattern meaning 'goes in and out' or 'comes and goes'. Natural for people entering and leaving a room.
彼は部屋を出たり入ったりしている。
He keeps going in and out of the room.
Literally 'appears and disappears'. Can be used for people or objects that seem to appear and vanish, sometimes with a mysterious nuance.
その猫は庭に現れたり消えたりする。
That cat appears and disappears in the garden.
Describing a rapid, repeated on-off pattern, especially for lights or screens.
Noun/verb meaning 'blinking' or 'flashing on and off'. Common for traffic lights, indicators, or warning lights.
信号が点滅している。
The traffic light is flashing.
Verb meaning 'to twinkle' or 'to blink'. Often used for stars or eyes.
Describing something that appears and then vanishes quickly, often with a sense of mystery or magic.
Literary expression meaning 'suddenly appear and suddenly disappear'. Used in dramatic or poetic contexts.
彼は忽然と現れて忽然と消えた。
He suddenly appeared and then suddenly disappeared.
Use 見えたり消えたり for visibility changes (e.g., lights, objects in fog). Use 出たり入ったり for physical movement in and out of a space (e.g., people entering a room).
山の頂上が雲で見えたり消えたりする。
The mountain top appears and disappears in the clouds.
子供たちが庭を出たり入ったりしている。
The children are running in and out of the garden.
星が瞬く夜空。
A night sky where stars twinkle.