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ちらっと Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ちらっと

also: ちらと

ち

ら

っ

と

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

adverb

at a glance; briefly; by accident

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Mimetic adverb describing a quick, fleeting look or a momentary, often accidental, glimpse. Often used with verbs like 見る or 目に入る.

新しん聞ぶんにちらっと目めを通とおしただけだ。
I just glanced briefly at the newspaper.

彼かれの顔かおがちらっと見みえた。

I caught a fleeting glimpse of his face.

Written forms

チラッと
Katakana variant used for emphasis or stylistic effect.
チラっと
Mixed-kana variant; less common but encountered.
ちらと
Variant without the geminate consonant; slightly softer or more literary feel.
チラと
Katakana variant of ちらと.

Similar words

ちらりと
Very similar meaning; ちらりと can sound slightly more literary or emphatic than ちらっと.
ちらり
Same root; often used in the same fleeting-glance contexts, but ちらっと is more colloquial.

Etymology

Onomatopoeic/mimetic word; the sound-symbolic root ちら- suggests a brief, scattered, or flickering action, with the geminate っ adding a sense of suddenness or brevity.