きらびやか

き

ら

び

や

か

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

na-adjective

gorgeous; dazzling; gaudy; resplendent

usually written using kana alone

Describes something visually brilliant, glittering, or richly decorated, often with a nuance of showiness or excess. Can be positive (gorgeous) or slightly negative (gaudy) depending on context.

彼かの女じょはきらびやかなドレスを着きてパーティーに現あらわれた。
She appeared at the party wearing a gorgeous dress.
その宮きゅう殿でんはきらびやかな装そう飾しょくで飾かざられていた。
The palace was decorated with dazzling ornaments.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

きらびやかな〈物もの〉gorgeous, dazzling (clothing, decoration, etc.)
彼かの女じょはきらびやかな衣い装しょうを着きてステージに立たった。
She stood on stage wearing a gorgeous costume.
きらびやかに〈動どう詞し〉to do something (decorate, shine, etc.) in a dazzling, gorgeous manner
会かい場じょうはきらびやかに飾かざられていた。
The venue was decorated in a dazzling, gorgeous way.

Kanji

煌glitter, gleam, twinkle

Related words

派は手でN3
派手 stresses loud, ostentatious showiness, while きらびやか focuses on a glittering, sparkling kind of beauty.
華はなやかN2
華やか carries a purely positive, elegant and glamorous nuance, whereas きらびやか can also suggest gaudiness or excess.
豪ごう華かN3
豪華 highlights lavishness and material luxury (like a hotel or meal), while きらびやか highlights visual sparkle and glitter.
絢けん爛らん
絢爛 is a more literary, intense word for radiant splendor (often 絢爛豪華), while きらびやか is the everyday adjective for the same kind of dazzling look.

Opposites

地じ味みN3
地味 describes something plain and unadorned, the direct opposite of the flashy sparkle of きらびやか.

Don't confuse with

キラキラN3
きらきら is an onomatopoeic adverb describing a twinkling or glittering motion, while きらびやか is a na-adjective describing an overall gorgeous, richly decorated appearance.

Written forms

きらびやかUsage93%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 煌びやか is also common and carries a more ornate feel.
煌きらびやかUsage7%
Kanji spelling using 煌 (glitter, gleam); visually reinforces the dazzling nuance.

Etymology

Derived from the mimetic root きら (glitter, sparkle) combined with the adjectival suffix びやか. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is related to words like きらきら (sparkling) and きらめく (to glitter).