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メリハリ (めりはり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
JLPT N2 Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Meanings 1
noun
modulation of voice ; vocal inflection
usually written using kana alone
Refers to the rise and fall, or changes in pitch and tone, when speaking or singing.
usually written using kana alone
Broadly used for anything that has a good balance of change and contrast, such as a schedule, a performance, or a piece of writing. Sense 3 (liveliness of writing style) is a specific application of this general meaning.
Written forms メリハリ Usage 90%
kana-only spelling
Standard katakana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
めりはり Usage 10%
Hiragana spelling, also common.
めり 張は り Usage <1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard spelling.
減め り 張は り
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; the word is usually written in kana.
乙張りめりはり
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; the word is usually written in kana.
Kanji 減 dwindle, decrease, reduce 張 counter for bows & stringed instruments, stretch, spread 乙 the latter, duplicate, strange Similar words 抑よく 揚よう 抑揚 specifically refers to intonation or modulation in voice, while メリハリ has a broader meaning of contrast and variation in many contexts.
変へん 化か 変化 is a general word for change or variation, while メリハリ implies a desirable, rhythmic contrast that makes something more interesting or effective.
Etymology Derived from the musical terms 減り (meri, lowering pitch) and 張り (hari, raising pitch) in traditional Japanese music. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the word now broadly means contrast or modulation.
