Describes something visually striking, often in a bold or extravagant way. Similar to 派手 (はで) but with a softer, more elegant nuance.
Her dress was showy and stood out at the party.
This painting has flamboyant colors.
Standard kanji spelling for this adjectival noun.
Kana spelling is acceptable and may be used for clarity or emphasis.
Derived from 派手 (はで, 'showy') with the adjectival suffix やか, which adds a softer, more descriptive quality. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it follows a pattern seen in other やか-ending adjectives.