ちらつく

ち

ら

つ

く

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

ちらつく · godan verb (-ku)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	ちらつく	ちらつかない
Polite	ちらつきます	ちらつきません
Past polite	ちらつきました	ちらつきませんでした
Past	ちらついた	ちらつかなかった
Te-form	ちらついて	ちらつかないで
Desire	ちらつきたい	ちらつきたくない
Potential	ちらつける	ちらつけない
Passive	ちらつかれる	ちらつかれない
Causative	ちらつかせる	ちらつかせない
Causative passive	ちらつかせられるalso ちらつかされる	ちらつかせられないalso ちらつかされない
Volitional	ちらつこう
Polite volitional	ちらつきましょう
Imperative	ちらつけ	ちらつくな
Conditional	ちらつけば	ちらつかなければ
Tara conditional	ちらついたら	ちらつかなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

flicker; glimmer; flit

Describes light, shadows, or images appearing and disappearing intermittently, often with a sense of unsteadiness or distraction.

ろうそくの火ひが風かぜでちらついている。
The candle flame is flickering in the wind.
テレビの画が面めんがちらついて見みづらい。
The TV screen is flickering and hard to watch.

godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb

fall lightly (snow, rain)

Used when snow or rain falls in a light, intermittent manner, often creating a fluttering or scattered effect.

外そとは雪ゆきがちらついている。
Snow is fluttering down outside.
雨あめがちらついてきたので、傘かさをさした。
A light rain started to fall, so I put up my umbrella.

See all 37 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉が目めにちらつくfor an image or memory to keep flashing before one's eyes / mind
彼かの女じょの顔かおが目めにちらついて仕し事ごとに集しゅう中ちゅうできない。
Her face keeps flashing before my eyes, and I can't concentrate on work.
雪ゆきがちらつくfor snow to fall lightly and intermittently
朝あさから雪ゆきがちらついている。
Snow has been falling lightly since morning.
光ひかりがちらつくfor a light to flicker in and out of view
遠とおくの明あかりが木き々ぎの間あいだにちらついていた。
Distant lights flickered between the trees.
小こ雨さめがちらつくfor a light drizzle to fall
午ご後ごから小こ雨さめがちらつくかもしれない。
It might start drizzling lightly in the afternoon.
〈物もの〉がちらつくfor a shadow or shape to flit briefly into view
廊ろう下かに人ひと影かげがちらついた。
A shadow flickered briefly in the hallway.

Related words

揺ゆらめく sense 1
揺らめく describes something like a flame or reflection swaying gently, while ちらつく describes light or images appearing and disappearing intermittently.
ぱらつく sense 2
ぱらつく describes light rain falling in scattered drops without any visual flicker, while ちらつく can describe snow falling lightly with a fluttering, flickering look.
きらめく sense 1
きらめく emphasizes a bright, sparkling quality, while ちらつく emphasizes unsteady, intermittent visibility without implying brightness.
点てん滅めつN1sense 1
点滅する is used for mechanical or electric lights turning on and off regularly, while ちらつく describes irregular, natural flickering.

Don't confuse with

ちらちらN1
ちらちら is the mimetic adverb describing the same flickering or fluttering effect, while ちらつく is the verb form used to describe the action itself.

Written forms

ちらつくUsage91%
Standard hiragana spelling; no kanji form exists.
チラつくUsage9%
Katakana variant used for emphasis or stylistic effect.

Etymology

The word is likely onomatopoeic, derived from the mimetic root ちら (expressing scattered or flickering movement) combined with the verb-forming suffix つく.