noun
thin sheet of paper; leaflet; flyer
Refers to a single unfolded sheet of paper, often used for handouts or flyers. Can also imply something flimsy or insubstantial.
会議の資料はぺら一枚だけだった。
The meeting handout was just a single sheet of paper.
街角でぺらを配っている。
They're handing out flyers on the street corner.
noun
200-character writing paper; essay paper
Specifically refers to a sheet of genkō yōshi (原稿用紙) with 200 squares, commonly used for writing compositions. Often encountered in educational settings.
夏休みの読書感想文をぺら三枚にまとめた。
I summarized my summer book report on three sheets of 200-character writing paper.
noun
Obsolete slang for paper currency. No longer in common use; modern terms like 紙幣 (しへい) or お札 (おさつ) are standard.
昔は紙幣のことを俗に「ぺら」と呼んだらしい。
Apparently, people used to call paper money 'pera' in slang.
紙幣 is the standard modern word for paper money; ぺら is an obsolete slang term.
The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the mimetic word ぺらぺら (flimsy, thin), reflecting the thinness of a single sheet of paper. The obsolete sense of 'paper money' likely derives from the same idea of a thin piece of paper.