洒落 (しゃれ, share) Japanese meaning: joke

洒落 (しゃれ, share) Japanese meaning: joke | Kotomora

Kanji

洒wash, sprinkle
落fall, drop, come down

Related words

冗じょう談だんN3sense 1
冗談 is the general word for a joke, while 洒落 specifically means a clever pun or piece of wordplay.
おしゃれN3sense 2
お洒落 is the far more common everyday form for 'stylish/fashionable', while 洒落 alone in this sense is rarer and slightly more literary.
だじゃれ
しゃれ is a neutral term for a clever pun or witty remark, while 駄洒落 specifically refers to a corny or lame pun.
戯あじゃら
戯 is an archaic term for light-hearted banter, while 洒落 is the everyday word for a witty joke or pun.

Opposites

野や暮ぼN1sense 2
野暮 describes something unfashionable or unsophisticated, the opposite of 洒落 meaning stylish and refined.

Don't confuse with

ジョーク
洒落 specifically means a pun or wordplay, whereas ジョーク covers any humorous remark or story, not just wordplay.
洒しゃ落らくN1
Written with the same kanji, 洒落 read しゃれ means 'a joke/pun' or 'stylish,' while 洒落 read しゃらく is a literary word for an open-hearted, easygoing personality.
おしゃれN3
おしゃれ means fashionable or dressing up, but 洒落 (without お) means a joke or pun.

Word family· 11

おしゃれN3
stylish; fashionable; trendy · dressing up; making oneself look nice · fashionable person; stylish dresser
だじゃれ
bad pun; corny joke; feeble joke
洒落しゃれるN1
dress stylishly; be chic · joke; play on words; crack a joke
悪わる洒落じゃれ
offensive joke; crude pun; vulgar wisecrack

Written forms

洒落しゃれUsage25%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Standard kanji spelling, though the characters are ateji (phonetic). High priority.
シャレUsage43%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is sometimes used for emphasis or in casual contexts.
しゃれUsage32%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the 'joke/pun' sense.

Etymology

The kanji 洒落 are ateji (phonetic) for the reading しゃれ. The exact origin is uncertain, but it may be related to the verb しゃれる (to be stylish, to be witty).

洒落しゃれ

Meanings

Usage patterns

Expressions