滑なめらか

also: すべらか

な

め

ら

か

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective

smooth; glassy; velvety; soft

Describes a surface that is physically smooth, without roughness or bumps. Often used for skin, paper, fabric, or polished materials.

この机つくえの表ひょう面めんはとても滑

なめ

らか

だ

。

The surface of this desk is very smooth.

赤あかちゃんの肌はだは滑なめらかで柔やわらかい。

A baby's skin is smooth and soft.

2

na-adjective

smooth; fluent; fluid; trouble-free

Describes actions, processes, or speech that proceed without interruption, difficulty, or awkwardness. Common for meetings, negotiations, movements, and language fluency.

会かい議ぎは滑なめらかに進すすんだ。
The meeting proceeded smoothly.
彼かの女じょは滑なめらかな英えい語ごを話はなす。
She speaks fluent English.

3

na-adjective

continuously differentiable

mathematics

Mathematics term for a function that is differentiable and whose derivative is continuous. Rare outside technical contexts.

この関かん数すうは区く間かん全ぜん体たいで滑なめらかである。
This function is continuously differentiable over the entire interval.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉の表ひょう面めんが滑なめらかだthe surface of something is smooth
このテーブルは表ひょう面めんが滑なめらかだ。
This table's surface is smooth.
滑なめらかな肌はだsmooth, velvety skin
赤あかちゃんの肌はだはとても滑なめらかだ。
A baby's skin is very smooth.
滑なめらかに動うごくto move smoothly
ロボットの関かん節せつは滑なめらかに動うごく。
The robot's joints move smoothly.
滑なめらかに話はなすto speak fluently and without hesitation
彼かれは英えい語ごを滑なめらかに話はなす。
He speaks English fluently.
〈事こと〉が滑なめらかに進すすむfor a process to proceed smoothly
話はなし合あいは滑なめらかに進すすんだ。
The discussion proceeded smoothly.

Kanji

滑slippery, slide, slip

Related words

円えん滑かつN1sense 2
円滑 is a formal, business-oriented word for smooth, trouble-free progress (negotiations, operations), while 滑らか covers both physical smoothness and smooth processes.
スムーズN2sense 2
スムーズ is a casual loanword used mainly for processes going smoothly, similar to 滑らか's sense of trouble-free progress, but it cannot describe physical texture.
すべすべN1sense 1
すべすべ is a mimetic word describing pleasantly smooth, soft-to-touch surfaces like skin, while 滑らか is a more formal adjective covering the same texture plus smooth motion or processes.
平たいらN3sense 1
平ら focuses on a surface being flat and level, while 滑らか emphasizes smoothness to the touch even if the surface isn't perfectly flat.

Opposites

粗あらいN2sense 1
粗い describes a rough, coarse surface, the direct opposite of a 滑らか (smooth) one.
ぎくしゃくN1sense 2
ぎくしゃく describes jerky, awkward movement or strained interaction, the opposite of a 滑らか (smooth, fluid) process.
ギザギザ

Don't confuse with

滑すべるN4sense 1
滑る is a verb meaning 'to slip/slide,' while 滑らか (from the same kanji root) is an adjective meaning 'smooth'; learners sometimes conflate the two.
なだらかN2
滑らか describes a smooth surface or texture, such as skin or a smoothly-running mechanism, while なだらか describes a gentle slope or a gradual, unhurried process, and the two are often confused because both are translated as 'smooth' in English.

Written forms

滑らかUsage41%
- なめらか
  Standard kanji spelling with high frequency.
- すべらか
なめらかUsage

Etymology

Derived from the verb 滑る (すべる, 'to slide, to be slippery') with the adjectival suffix らか, indicating a state or quality. The reading なめらか is a sound shift from すべらか.

N1

滑らか describes a smooth, even surface or edge, the opposite of the jagged, notched ギザギザ.

58%

滑かUsage<1%

irregular okurigana

なめらか
Irregular okurigana usage; rarely encountered.
すべらか

すべらか

Archaic reading; not used in modern Japanese.