ハラハラ

ハ

ラ

ハ

ラ

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

ハラハラする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Meanings

Describes a state of suspense, worry, or nervous excitement while watching something unfold. Often used with する or as an adverb.

fluttering down; trickling down

Describes light things like petals, leaves, or tears falling gently and continuously. Often used with と.

hanging untidily; straggling

Describes hair that is loose, disheveled, or hanging down in an untidy way. Less common than the other senses.

〈事こと〉にハラハラするto feel anxious/nervous about something
試し合あいの結けっ果かにハラハラした。
I was on edge about the outcome of the match.
〈物もの〉がハラハラ(と)落おちるfor something light to flutter down
桜さくらの花はなびらがハラハラと落おちてきた。
The cherry blossom petals came fluttering down.
髪かみがハラハラと乱みだれるfor hair to hang loosely and untidily
風かぜで髪かみがハラハラと乱みだれた。
The wind left her hair loose and disheveled.
〈人ひと〉をハラハラさせるto make someone anxious/nervous
彼かれの危き険けんな運うん転てんは乗じょう客きゃくをハラハラさせた。
His dangerous driving kept the passengers on edge.
涙なみだがハラハラ(と)こぼれるfor tears to trickle down gently
彼かの女じょの目めから涙なみだがハラハラとこぼれた。
Tears trickled gently from her eyes.

ドキドキN3sense 1
ドキドキ describes a pounding heart from excitement or physical exertion, while ハラハラ describes the nervous suspense of watching a risky or uncertain situation unfold.
ひらひらN1sense 2
ひらひら describes light objects fluttering or waving back and forth in the air, while ハラハラ emphasizes their gentle, continuous falling motion, like petals or tears.
ボサボサ sense 3
ぼさぼさ describes hair or fur that is generally messy and unkempt, while ハラハラ specifically describes loose strands hanging down untidily.
そわそわN3sense 1
ソワソワ describes a general restless fidgetiness (e.g. before an event), whereas ハラハラ specifically conveys anxious suspense while observing an unfolding, risky situation.

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ひやひやN2
はらはら describes anxious worry while watching someone else's risky or precarious situation, whereas 冷や冷や(ひやひや) describes one's own nervous, cold-sweat feeling about an uncertain outcome.
ぼろぼろN3
はらはら describes light things like petals or tears fluttering down gently, while ぼろぼろ suggests heavier or messier falling, such as crumbs or clumps.
びくびくN1
はらはら describes tense suspense while watching a risky situation unfold, while びくびく is the fearful, flinching feeling of the person themselves.
スリリング
ハラハラ is a mimetic word describing the nervous, on-edge feeling itself, whereas スリリング describes the quality of the thing causing that feeling.

安あん心しんN4sense 1
安心 means feeling relieved and at ease, the opposite of the nervous suspense expressed by ハラハラ.

パラパラ sense 2
パラパラ sounds similar to ハラハラ but describes light, scattered falling (like rain or flipping pages), not the gentle drifting-down motion of tears or petals that ハラハラ conveys.
イライラN3
ハラハラ sounds similar to イライラ but describes nervous suspense or worry about an outcome, not irritation.

Mimetic word; the exact origin is uncertain. The sound-symbolic repetition suggests a light, continuous, or unstable quality.