When you see things like cherry blossoms, people, or even gray hairs appearing here and there, we use ちらほら.
You can also use ちらほら when something is happening sporadically, like rain falling intermittently or customers coming into a store one or two at a time.
It describes something that is thinly scattered, not in great numbers or very densely.
Think of it as seeing just a few of something in different spots.
When you see ちらほら, imagine a few things appearing in different places, not a lot, but just enough to notice.
Think of it like a few stars showing up in the night sky, or a couple of people scattered around a big park.
It describes things that are spread out, not in a dense group, and not very many of them.
So, if you hear someone say "snow is falling ちらほら," it means there are just a few snowflakes here and there, not a heavy snowfall.
When you hear ちらほら, think of things appearing or happening sparsely or intermittently. It's like seeing a few people here and there, or a light rain falling sporadically. You can use it to describe things that are thinly scattered, like leaves on a tree in autumn, or when something happens occasionally rather than continuously.
For example, if you say 「雪がちらほら降っている」 (Yuki ga chira-hora futte iru), it means snow is falling here and there, or sporadically. It gives a sense of something being present, but not in a dense or constant way. It's a useful word for describing visual and situational sparsity.
When you use ちらほら, it means something is happening or appearing in a scattered, infrequent, or sparse way. Think of it like seeing a few people here and there, or a few leaves falling, rather than a big crowd or a heavy downpour. It often implies a small quantity or occurrence over a larger area or time. This adverb is quite versatile and can be used to describe visual observations, events, or even sounds that are not constant or numerous.
When using 「ちらほら」, it indicates that something is happening or appearing in a scattered, intermittent, or sparse manner, rather than continuously or densely. It often implies a sense of a few instances occurring here and there. For example, if you see a few people starting to arrive at a party, you could say 「人がちらほら来始めた」 (Hito ga chirahora ki hajimeta - People have started to arrive here and there).
You might also hear it in contexts describing things like the first signs of snow (「雪がちらほら舞っている」 - Yuki ga chirahora matte iru - Snow is falling sporadically) or a small number of flowers blooming (「桜がちらほら咲き始めた」 - Sakura ga chirahora saki hajimeta - Cherry blossoms have started to bloom here and there). It conveys a sense of something being present but not in a great amount or density.
When you hear ちらほら, imagine something appearing sparsely or intermittently, like a few cherry blossoms peeking out before full bloom, or a handful of people scattered in a large park. It's often used for things that are visible but not in great numbers or density. Think of it as a subtle scattering, a hint of something present but not overwhelming. It conveys a sense of light, dispersed appearance rather than a concentrated or abundant one.
ちらほら in 30 Sekunden
- sparsely
- intermittently
- scattered
§ What it means
The Japanese adverb 「ちらほら」 (chirahora) is super useful for describing things that appear sparsely or intermittently. Think of it as meaning "here and there," "sporadically," or "thinly scattered." It paints a picture of something not being abundant or continuous, but rather popping up in isolated instances.
You'll often hear 「ちらほら」 when talking about visual things, like a few people scattered in a park, or a couple of cherry blossoms starting to bloom. But it's not just for sights; you can use it for sounds, information, or even events that happen infrequently.
- DEFINITION
- Here and there; sporadically; thinly scattered.
§ When to use it
Understanding when to use 「ちらほら」 is key to sounding natural. Here are the main situations:
- For visible things that are sparse: This is perhaps the most common use. Imagine a quiet day where not many people are around.
公園には人がちらほらいるだけだった。
Hint: There were only a few people here and there in the park.
- For early stages of something appearing: When something is just starting to show up, like the first few leaves changing color or the initial drops of rain.
紅葉がちらほら始まった。
Hint: The autumn leaves have started to change sporadically.
- For sounds or information that are intermittent: If you hear faint sounds or get pieces of information now and then.
遠くから雷の音がちらほら聞こえる。
Hint: I can hear the sound of thunder intermittently from afar.
- For events that happen infrequently: When something doesn't happen often, but rather once in a while.
最近、彼からの連絡がちらほらしかない。
Hint: Recently, I've only gotten sporadic contact from him.
So, when you want to convey the idea of something being present but not in abundance, appearing here and there, or happening occasionally, 「ちらほら」 is your go-to word. It adds a nuanced touch to your Japanese descriptions, helping you paint a more accurate and vivid picture of what you're observing or experiencing.
§ Understanding ちらほら
Let's learn about the Japanese word ちらほら (chira hora). This is a useful adverb that describes things appearing or happening here and there, sporadically, or thinly scattered. Think of it as indicating a sparse and intermittent presence.
- Japanese Word
- ちらほら (chira hora)
- Part of Speech
- Adverb
- CEFR Level
- B1
- Definition
- Here and there; sporadically; thinly scattered.
§ How to use it in a sentence
ちらほら is an adverb, so it directly modifies verbs or adjectives, describing the manner in which something is happening or appearing. It often implies a sense of infrequency or scatteredness. You don't usually need special prepositions with it; it just goes before the verb or adjective it modifies.
Here are some common ways to use ちらほら:
- To describe things appearing or happening in a scattered way.
- To talk about a few people or things showing up.
- To indicate that something is happening intermittently.
§ Examples
Let's look at some examples to get a better feel for ちらほら.
雪がちらほら降り始めた。
- Hint
- The snow started to fall sparsely/here and there.
公園には人がちらほらいるだけだった。
- Hint
- There were only a few people (scattered) in the park.
桜の花がちらほら咲き始めた。
- Hint
- The cherry blossoms started to bloom here and there.
最近、あの店でお客さんをちらほら見かけるようになった。
- Hint
- Recently, I've started seeing customers (sporadically) at that store.
会議中に、携帯電話をちらほら見る人がいた。
- Hint
- During the meeting, there were people glancing at their cell phones (intermittently).
§ Important Tips
By understanding these examples and tips, you should be able to use ちらほら more confidently in your Japanese conversations and writing. Keep practicing and you'll master it in no time!
§ What ちらほら Means
Alright, let's break down ちらほら (chirahora). This isn't a super common word you'll hear every single day, but it's definitely useful for describing situations where things aren't happening or appearing in a solid, continuous way. Think of it as describing something that is spread out, with gaps, or appearing intermittently.
- DEFINITION
- Here and there; sporadically; thinly scattered.
The key idea here is 'sparseness' or 'intermittence'. It's not about a large quantity or a constant presence. It's about seeing or experiencing something in bits and pieces.
§ ちらほら at Work and School
You might hear ちらほら when people are talking about attendance, progress, or even how things are spread out in an office or classroom. It's often used when something is expected to be more widespread or consistent but isn't.
Attendance: If a lot of people are usually at an event, but only a few show up, you can use ちらほら.
今日は会議に人がちらほらしか来ていないね。 (Kyou wa kaigi ni hito ga chirahora shika kiteinai ne.)
Hint: Today, only a few people (scattered here and there) came to the meeting.
Progress: When you're checking on something that should be done, but you only see small, isolated signs of completion.
プロジェクトの進捗はまだちらほらといった感じです。 (Purojekuto no shinchoku wa mada chirahora to itta kanji desu.)
Hint: The project's progress is still only here and there (sporadic).
Items or People: Describing things that are spread out thinly.
図書館には学生がちらほら見えた。 (Toshokan ni wa gakusei ga chirahora mieta.)
Hint: Students were seen here and there (thinly scattered) in the library.
§ ちらほら in the News and Daily Life
News reports often use ちらほら to describe events or conditions that are not widespread but are happening in isolated instances. It conveys a sense of something being present but not dominant.
Weather: When it's not raining heavily everywhere, but you get occasional drops.
雨がちらほら降ってきた。 (Ame ga chirahora futtekita.)
Hint: Rain started falling sporadically (here and there).
Sightings: If you're looking for something, and you only see a few of them.
桜の花がちらほら咲き始めた。 (Sakura no hana ga chirahora sakihajimeta.)
Hint: Cherry blossoms started blooming here and there (sporadically).
News Reports: Describing isolated incidents.
全国でインフルエンザの感染がちらほら報告されています。 (Zenkoku de infuruenza no kansen ga chirahora houkoku sareteimasu.)
Hint: Influenza infections are being reported here and there (sporadically) nationwide.
§ Don't confuse ちらほら with similar-sounding words
While ちらほら means "here and there" or "sporadically," it's sometimes confused with words that sound similar but have different meanings. For example, ちらっと (chiratto) means "at a glance" or "for a moment." While both relate to briefness or fleetingness, ちらっと is about a quick, single instance, whereas ちらほら describes something happening or appearing intermittently over a period.
彼はちらっと彼女を見た。(Kare wa chiratto kanojo o mita.)
- Hint
- He glanced at her.
Compare that to:
雨がちらほら降り始めた。(Ame ga chirahora furi hajimeta.)
- Hint
- It started to rain sporadically.
§ Overusing ちらほら for all "few" or "some" situations
While ちらほら implies a small, scattered amount, it's not a universal substitute for "a few" or "some." It specifically carries the nuance of something being thinly spread or appearing intermittently. If you just mean "a small number" without the scattered or sporadic implication, other words are more appropriate.
For example, if you want to say "a few students," you'd typically use 数人の学生 (suunin no gakusei) or 少ない学生 (sukunai gakusei), not ちらほら学生.
公園には数人の学生がいた。(Kōen ni wa suunin no gakusei ga ita.)
- Hint
- There were a few students in the park.
Using ちらほら here would imply the students were appearing and disappearing, or very sparsely located, which might not be the intended meaning.
§ Not understanding the types of things ちらほら applies to
ちらほら is typically used for:
- Things that appear or occur visually: e.g., people, flowers, snow, lights.
- Sounds that are heard intermittently: e.g., chirping, distant chatter.
- Actions that happen sporadically: e.g., visitors arriving, rain falling.
It generally doesn't apply to abstract concepts or things that are constantly present. You wouldn't say "ちらほらアイデア" (chirahora idea) to mean "a few ideas." Instead, you might use いくつかのアイデア (ikutsu ka no idea).
いくつかのアイデアを出し合った。(Ikutsu ka no idea o dashi-atta.)
- Hint
- We brainstormed a few ideas.
§ When to use ちらほら
The Japanese adverb ちらほら (chirahora) is useful for describing things that appear or happen here and there, sporadically, or in a thinly scattered way. Think of it as a gentle, somewhat light scattering, not a dense or continuous presence. It often implies a small number or an infrequent occurrence.
You'll frequently hear ちらほら used when talking about people, flowers, snow, or even sounds. It conveys a sense of something being present but not abundant, noticeable but not overwhelming. It's a common word, so knowing when and how to use it will make your Japanese sound more natural.
§ Similar words and their differences
Let's look at some other words that might seem similar to ちらほら but have important distinctions. Choosing the right word depends on the nuance you want to express.
- DEFINITION
- ぽつぽつ (potsupotsu): This adverb also means 'sporadically' or 'little by little,' but it often suggests individual, distinct drops or points. It can apply to rain, spots, or individual comments. It's often more about individual items appearing one by one.
雨がぽつぽつ降り始めた。(The rain started to fall in drops / sporadically.)
- DEFINITION
- まばら (mabara): This is an adjective (or an adverb when followed by に) that means 'sparse,' 'thinly spread,' or 'scattered.' It describes the state of something being not dense. It's very close to ちらほら in meaning, but まばら often emphasizes the *lack* of density or fullness, and it's less about the *action* of appearing and more about the *state* of being scattered.
観客はまばらだった。(The audience was sparse.)
- DEFINITION
- 時々 (tokidoki): This means 'sometimes' or 'occasionally.' While it describes infrequency, it doesn't necessarily imply a physical scattering. It's purely about timing.
彼は時々そこへ行く。(He sometimes goes there.)
§ Summary of usage
Here’s a quick guide to help you pick the right word:
- ちらほら (chirahora): Use for things appearing here and there, thinly scattered, or sporadically. It has a slightly light and gentle feel. Good for people, flowers, snow, early signs of something.
- ぽつぽつ (potsupotsu): Use for individual drops or points appearing one by one. Often associated with rain or distinct marks.
- まばら (mabara): Use to describe a state of being sparse or thinly spread. Emphasizes lack of density.
- 時々 (tokidoki): Use purely for infrequent timing; 'sometimes' or 'occasionally.'
By paying attention to these subtle differences, you'll be able to use ちらほら and its alternatives much more effectively in your Japanese conversations and writing. Keep practicing, and these nuances will become second nature.
How Formal Is It?
"最近では、都会の真ん中でも星が散見されるようになりました。(Recently, stars have come to be seen sporadically even in the middle of the city.)"
"雪がちらほら降り始めました。(It started snowing sporadically.)"
"雨がぽつぽつ降ってきたね。(The rain started falling here and there, didn't it?)"
"おもちゃがいくつか落ちてるよ。(There are a few toys scattered around.)"
"客がまばらで暇だったわ。(There were so few customers, it was slow.)"
Schwierigkeitsgrad
short
short
short
short
Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest
Voraussetzungen
Als Nächstes lernen
Fortgeschritten
Wichtige Grammatik
Can modify verbs to show scattered or sporadic actions/occurrences. Often used with verbs like 見える (mieru - to be visible), 降る (furu - to fall/rain), etc.
雪がちらほら降っていますね。(Yuki ga chirahora futte imasu ne.) - It's snowing sporadically, isn't it?
Can modify nouns or noun phrases with の (no) to describe something scattered or sparse. For example, ちらほらの人 (chirahora no hito - scattered people).
公園にはちらほらの人がいました。(Kōen ni wa chirahora no hito ga imashita.) - There were a few scattered people in the park.
Often implies a small, insufficient, or less than expected amount. It can carry a nuance of slight disappointment or observation.
まだちらほらしか咲いていません。(Mada chirahora shika saite imasen.) - Only a few have bloomed yet (sporadically).
Can be used to describe intermittent sounds or lights, implying they are not continuous or strong.
遠くでちらほらと雷が鳴っています。(Tōku de chirahora to kaminari ga natte imasu.) - Thunder is rumbling sporadically in the distance.
When used with a verb describing appearance or presence, it indicates that something is appearing or present in a scattered or infrequent manner.
桜がちらほら咲き始めました。(Sakura ga chirahora saki hajimemashita.) - The cherry blossoms have started to bloom sporadically.
Beispiele nach Niveau
雪がちらほら降っています。
Snow is falling here and there.
ちらほら modifies the verb 降っています (is falling).
庭に花がちらほら咲いています。
Flowers are blooming sporadically in the garden.
ちらほら modifies the verb 咲いています (are blooming).
人がちらほら歩いています。
People are walking here and there.
ちらほら modifies the verb 歩いています (are walking).
雨がちらほら降ってきました。
Rain started falling sporadically.
ちらほら modifies the verb 降ってきました (started falling).
星がちらほら見えます。
Stars are visible here and there.
ちらほら modifies the verb 見えます (are visible).
お客さんがちらほら来ています。
Customers are coming in sporadically.
ちらほら modifies the verb 来ています (are coming).
葉っぱがちらほら落ちています。
Leaves are falling here and there.
ちらほら modifies the verb 落ちています (are falling).
鳥がちらほら飛んでいます。
Birds are flying sporadically.
ちらほら modifies the verb 飛んでいます (are flying).
雪がちらほら降っています。
Snow is falling here and there.
森の中に家がちらほら見えます。
Houses are visible sporadically in the forest.
客がちらほら来始めました。
Guests started to arrive sporadically.
木々に葉がちらほら残っている。
Leaves are thinly scattered on the trees.
最近、彼の姿をちらほら見かける。
Recently, I see him here and there.
庭に花がちらほら咲いている。
Flowers are blooming sporadically in the garden.
会議室に人がちらほら座っている。
People are sitting here and there in the meeting room.
昔の友達とちらほら連絡を取っている。
I'm sporadically keeping in touch with old friends.
最近はちらほらと雪が降っています。
Snow is falling here and there recently.
人影がちらほらと見えました。
I could see a few figures here and there.
紅葉がちらほらと色づき始めた。
The autumn leaves have started to change color sporadically.
街路樹の葉がちらほら落ちている。
Leaves are falling sporadically from the street trees.
新しい店がちらほらとオープンしている。
New stores are opening up here and there.
授業中にちらほらと寝ている生徒がいた。
There were a few students sleeping sporadically during class.
夜空に星がちらほらと輝いている。
Stars are twinkling thinly scattered in the night sky.
風で桜の花びらがちらほら舞っていた。
Cherry blossom petals were dancing sporadically in the wind.
雪がちらほらと降り始めた。
Snow started falling here and there.
降り始めた (furi hajimeta) - began to fall
駅の周りに人がちらほら見えます。
You can see people sporadically around the station.
見えます (miemasu) - can be seen
桜の花がちらほら咲き始めています。
Cherry blossoms are starting to bloom here and there.
咲き始めています (saki hajimete imasu) - have started blooming
客はちらほらとしか来ていなかった。
Only a few customers came sporadically.
しか来ていなかった (shika kite inakatta) - only came (negative implication)
森の中に動物がちらほらと現れた。
Animals appeared sporadically in the forest.
現れた (arawareta) - appeared
彼女の顔にはしわがちらほら見え始めた。
Wrinkles started appearing here and there on her face.
見え始めた (mie hajimeta) - began to be seen
古い本の中に間違いがちらほらあった。
There were a few mistakes here and there in the old book.
あった (atta) - there were
遠くに町の明かりがちらほら見えます。
You can see town lights sporadically in the distance.
明かり (akari) - light
最近はちらほらと観光客の姿が見られるようになった。
Recently, the sight of tourists has become visible here and there.
雪がちらほらと舞い始めた。
Snow began to flutter sporadically.
会議室にはまだちらほらと人がいるだけだ。
There are still only a few people scattered here and there in the meeting room.
山の上にはちらほらと紅葉が見え始めた。
Autumn leaves started to appear sporadically on the mountaintop.
このあたりには、昔ながらの家がちらほら残っている。
In this area, old-fashioned houses remain here and there.
彼の話は面白かったが、冗談がちらほら混じっていた。
His story was interesting, but jokes were sprinkled in sporadically.
テストの結果、間違った箇所がちらほらあった。
As a result of the test, there were scattered mistakes.
公園には桜がちらほら咲き始めている。
Cherry blossoms are starting to bloom sporadically in the park.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
雪がちらほら降っている。
It's snowing sporadically.
道に人がちらほら見えた。
I saw people here and there on the road.
桜がちらほら咲き始めた。
The cherry blossoms have started to bloom here and there.
庭にちらほらと花が咲いている。
Flowers are blooming sporadically in the garden.
会場にはまだ人がちらほらいるだけだ。
There are still only a few people scattered in the venue.
夜空に星がちらほらと輝いている。
Stars are twinkling here and there in the night sky.
彼の髪にはもうちらほらと白髪が見える。
Grey hairs are already visible here and there in his hair.
休日は客がちらほらとしか来ない。
On holidays, customers only come sporadically.
紅葉がちらほらと色づき始めた。
The autumn leaves have started to change color here and there.
会議室にはちらほらとしか人が集まらなかった。
Only a few people gathered sporadically in the meeting room.
Wird oft verwechselt mit
This is the most similar word. 'ちらほら' tends to be more visual and about things appearing or being seen sparsely, while 'まばら' is a more general term for sparseness or infrequency.
Both describe small, scattered occurrences, but 'ぽつぽつ' is more about discrete items like drops or spots, whereas 'ちらほら' is often for visually distributed elements like people or leaves.
While both can mean 'occasionally,' 'ちらほら' carries a spatial component (scattered), while '時々' is purely temporal (sometimes).
Grammatikmuster
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"ちらほらと人が集まり始めた。"
People started gathering here and there (sporadically).
ちらほらと人が集まり始めた。
neutral"雪がちらほら降ってきた。"
Snow started falling sporadically/lightly.
雪がちらほら降ってきた。
neutral"紅葉がちらほら見られるようになった。"
Autumn leaves can now be seen here and there.
紅葉がちらほら見られるようになった。
neutral"最近、彼の姿をちらほら見かける。"
Lately, I've been seeing him here and there (sporadically).
最近、彼の姿をちらほら見かける。
neutral"木々の間に花がちらほら咲いている。"
Flowers are blooming here and there among the trees.
木々の間に花がちらほら咲いている。
neutral"彼の話にちらほら嘘が混じっていた。"
There were sporadic lies mixed in his story.
彼の話にちらほら嘘が混じっていた。
neutral"まだ開店前なのに、客がちらほらいる。"
Even before opening, there are a few customers scattered around.
まだ開店前なのに、客がちらほらいる。
neutral"あの店は最近、ちらほら客が入っている。"
That shop has been getting sporadic customers recently.
あの店は最近、ちらほら客が入っている。
neutral"夜空に星がちらほら輝いていた。"
Stars were shining sporadically in the night sky.
夜空に星がちらほら輝いていた。
neutral"彼の髪には白髪がちらほら見える。"
White hairs are visible here and there in his hair.
彼の髪には白髪がちらほら見える。
neutralLeicht verwechselbar
Both 'ちらほら' and 'あちこち' can indicate something being in various places. The nuance is key.
'ちらほら' suggests a sparse, scattered presence, often implying a small quantity or occasional occurrence. 'あちこち' means 'here and there' in a more general sense, without necessarily implying sparseness; it can be about locations or even actions.
公園にちらほらと人がいる。 (Kōen ni chirahora to hito ga iru.) - There are a few people scattered in the park. (Implies not many people.) / 彼はあちこち旅行した。 (Kare wa achikochi ryokō shita.) - He traveled here and there. (Focus is on multiple locations, not necessarily sparseness.)
Both describe small, scattered occurrences.
'ちらほら' is often used for visual things that are spread out, like people, lights, or leaves. 'ぽつぽつ' is more versatile and can describe small, discrete things like drops of rain, pimples, or even a few words spoken haltingly.
雨がぽつぽつ降り始めた。 (Ame ga potsu-potsu furi hajimeta.) - It started raining sporadically (small drops). / ちらほらと雪が降っている。 (Chirahora to yuki ga futte iru.) - Snow is falling sporadically (thinly scattered flakes).
Both suggest things being separated or scattered.
'ちらほら' implies a natural, often sparse distribution. 'ばらばら' suggests things that were once together have come apart, or a lack of unity/cohesion. It often has a negative connotation of disorder.
会議の後、みんなばらばらになった。 (Kaigi no ato, minna barabara ni natta.) - After the meeting, everyone dispersed. / ページがばらばらになった。 (Pēji ga barabara ni natta.) - The pages fell apart (are scattered in disorder).
This is very close in meaning and often used interchangeably with 'ちらほら' in certain contexts.
While very similar, 'まばら' emphasizes the *sparseness* or *infrequency* of something, often in a more general sense. 'ちらほら' often has a more visual, 'appearing here and there' feel. You might use 'まばら' to describe a sparse crowd or infrequent traffic, and 'ちらほら' for seeing a few people appear here and there.
観客はまばらだった。 (Kankyaku wa mabara datta.) - The audience was sparse. / 桜の花がちらほら咲き始めた。 (Sakura no hana ga chirahora saki hajimeta.) - Cherry blossoms have started to bloom here and there (a few are visible).
Both can imply something happening occasionally.
'ちらほら' is primarily spatial, referring to things being scattered in space, or appearing occasionally in a scattered manner. '時々' is purely temporal, meaning 'sometimes' or 'occasionally' in terms of time, without any implication of spatial distribution.
彼の姿がちらほら見えた。 (Kare no sugata ga chirahora mieta.) - His figure was seen here and there (occasionally appearing). / 彼は時々ここに来る。 (Kare wa tokidoki koko ni kuru.) - He sometimes comes here.
Satzmuster
ちらほら (something) がある/いる。
公園にはちらほら人がいる。 (There are a few people in the park.)
ちらほら (verb in -te form) くる/いく。
雪がちらほら降ってきた。 (Snow started falling sparsely.)
ちらほら (noun) が (verb).
桜がちらほら咲き始めた。 (Cherry blossoms have started blooming sporadically.)
So verwendest du es
When you use 「ちらほら」, think of things appearing or happening in a sparse, scattered, or intermittent way. It's often used for things you can see, like people, flowers, or lights, but can also describe events or phenomena.
For example, if you're looking for a crowd but only see a few people, you might say 「人がちらほらいる」 (There are a few people here and there).
It can also be used to describe the first signs of something, like autumn leaves starting to change color: 「紅葉がちらほら見え始めた」 (The autumn leaves started to appear sporadically).
Commonly used with verbs like:
- 見える (mieru - to be visible/seen)
- 咲く (saku - to bloom)
- 降る (furu - to fall, as in rain or snow)
- いる (iru - to be, for animate objects)
- ある (aru - to be, for inanimate objects)
「ちらほら」 has a casual feel, but it's appropriate in most everyday conversations.
A common mistake is using 「ちらほら」 when you want to express 'a little bit' or 'a few' in a general sense, rather than specifically focusing on the scattered or intermittent nature. For example, if you just want to say 'I have a few books,' you'd use 「いくつか本がある」 (ikutsu ka hon ga aru) or 「少し本がある」 (sukoshi hon ga aru), not 「ちらほら本がある」.
Another mistake is confusing it with words that mean 'occasionally' or 'sometimes' in a purely temporal sense without the implication of scattered occurrence. While 「ちらほら」 can have a temporal aspect (e.g., snow falling sporadically), its primary nuance is about the distribution or intermittent appearance.
Don't use 「ちらほら」 for:
- Large, dense quantities: You wouldn't say 「車がちらほら走っている」 (cars are running here and there) if there's heavy traffic.
- Things that are consistently present: If something is always there, even if in small amounts, 「ちらほら」 isn't the best fit.
Remember, the core idea is sparse, scattered, or intermittent appearance/occurrence.
Tipps
Basic Meaning of Chira Hora
Understand that 「ちらほら」 (chira hora) describes things appearing or happening sparsely or intermittently. It’s like seeing a few scattered leaves on a tree in autumn.
Visualizing Chira Hora
Imagine a situation where something is not abundant or continuous. For example, seeing a few people here and there in a large park, or a few snowflakes falling sporadically.
Chira Hora for Sight
It's often used for things you see intermittently. 「桜がちらほら咲いている」 (Sakura ga chira hora saite iru) means 'The cherry blossoms are sporadically blooming (a few here and there).'
Chira Hora for Sound
While less common, it can sometimes describe intermittent sounds, like a few claps here and there during a quiet performance.
Chira Hora for Events
You can use it for events that happen now and then. 「雨がちらほら降ってきた」 (Ame ga chira hora futte kita) means 'It started raining sporadically (a few drops here and there).'
Comparing Chira Hora with 'Occasionally'
While similar to 'occasionally,' 「ちらほら」 emphasizes the scattered or sparse nature of what's happening or appearing, rather than just the infrequency.
Chira Hora as an Adverb
Remember that 「ちらほら」 is an adverb, so it typically modifies verbs to describe how something is happening or adjectives to describe how something is scattered.
Using Chira Hora in Sentences
Try to form simple sentences. For instance, 「お客さんがちらほらいた」 (Okyaku-san ga chira hora ita) means 'There were a few customers here and there.' This shows a sparse crowd.
Avoid Overusing Chira Hora
While useful, don't overuse 「ちらほら」. It has a specific nuance of sparseness. If something is truly rare or occasional without the scattered element, other words might be better.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Imagine 'chirping' birds (chira chira) appearing 'hora' (like 'here' in English, but with a Japanese sound) now and then, sporadically.
Visuelle Assoziation
Picture a scene where snowflakes are gently falling, but not heavily, just 'ちらほら' – here and there. Or imagine a park with just a few people scattered around, not crowded.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Describe a scene around you using 'ちらほら'. For example, if you see a few cars on a quiet street, you could say: '道に車がちらほら走っている。' (Michi ni kuruma ga chirahora hashitte iru. - Cars are sporadically driving on the road.)
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
Describing the appearance of people or objects in a scattered way.
- 人がちらほら見えますね。(I see people here and there.)
- 雪がちらほら降ってきた。(Snow started falling sporadically.)
- 木々の間に家がちらほら見える。(Houses are thinly scattered among the trees.)
Talking about things happening or appearing infrequently or intermittently.
- 最近、彼の姿をちらほら見かける。(Lately, I occasionally see him.)
- まだ桜がちらほら咲いている。(Cherry blossoms are still blooming sporadically.)
- テレビでちらほらそのニュースが流れている。(That news is occasionally on TV.)
Indicating a small number or quantity.
- 客がちらほらと入ってきた。(A few customers started coming in.)
- 本棚に専門書がちらほらある。(There are a few specialized books on the bookshelf.)
- 庭に花がちらほら咲いている。(A few flowers are blooming in the garden.)
Describing faint or barely visible things.
- 彼の顔に疲れがちらほら見えた。(A hint of tiredness was visible on his face.)
- 雲の切れ間から青空がちらほら。(Patches of blue sky are visible through the clouds.)
- 遠くの光がちらほらしている。(Faint lights are visible in the distance.)
When a small amount of something is still present.
- まだ部屋にゴミがちらほら残っている。(There's still a bit of trash scattered in the room.)
- 冷蔵庫に食材がちらほら残っている。(There are a few ingredients left in the fridge.)
- 財布に小銭がちらほらある。(There's some loose change in my wallet.)
Gesprächseinstiege
"最近、どこかへ出かけましたか？そこで何かちらほら見かけましたか？ (Have you been out recently? Did you see anything scattered around there?)"
"あなたの住んでいる地域で、季節の移り変わりを感じるものはありますか？例えば、桜がちらほら咲き始めたり、紅葉がちらほら見えたり。 (In your area, is there anything that makes you feel the change of seasons? For example, cherry blossoms starting to bloom sporadically, or autumn leaves appearing here and there.)"
"映画館やカフェで、人がちらほらしかいない時と、賑わっている時と、どちらが好きですか？ (Do you prefer when there are only a few people scattered in a movie theater or cafe, or when it's bustling?)"
"もしあなたが広い公園を歩いているとして、どんなものがちらほら見えたら楽しいですか？ (If you were walking in a large park, what kind of things appearing sporadically would you find enjoyable?)"
"最近、テレビやインターネットで、興味深いニュースがちらほら目に留まりましたか？ (Lately, have you come across any interesting news sporadically on TV or the internet?)"
Tagebuch-Impulse
今日一日を振り返って、「ちらほら」を使って表現できることを三つ書き出してみましょう。 (Reflect on your day today and write down three things you can express using 'chirahora'.)
未来の夢や目標について、「まだちらほらとしか見えないけれど、いつかきっと…」という形で書き出してみましょう。 (Write about your future dreams and goals in the form of 'I can only see glimpses of it now, but someday surely...'.
自然の中で「ちらほら」という言葉がぴったりくる風景を想像して、その様子を詳しく描写してみましょう。 (Imagine a natural landscape where the word 'chirahora' fits perfectly, and describe its appearance in detail.)
過去の記憶で、何かが「ちらほら」と現れたり消えたりした経験を具体的に書いてみましょう。 (Write specifically about a past memory where something appeared and disappeared 'sporadically'.)
もしあなたが作家だとしたら、「ちらほら」を効果的に使って、どんな物語の場面を描写しますか？ (If you were a writer, what kind of scene would you describe using 'chirahora' effectively in a story?)
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenGood question! While all three can imply infrequency, they have different focuses.
ちらほら (chirahora): This word emphasizes things being scattered or appearing intermittently, like a few people here and there, or a few cherry blossoms starting to bloom. It's about sparse distribution or occasional appearance.
時々 (tokidoki): This means 'sometimes' or 'occasionally.' It refers to actions or events happening at irregular intervals.
たまに (tamani): Similar to ときどき, but often implies a bit more infrequency or rarity. It's like 'once in a while' or 'rarely.'
So, think of ちらほら as a visual scattering or intermittent appearance, while ときどき and たまに focus more on the timing of actions.
Yes, absolutely! It's very common to use “ちらほら” for people. For example, if a concert hall is not full, you might say:
観客がちらほらいる。 (Kankyaku ga chirahora iru.)
(There are a few scattered spectators.)
Or, if people are starting to arrive for an event:
人がちらほら集まり始めた。 (Hito ga chirahora atsumari hajimeta.)
(People have started to gather sporadically.)
“ちらほら” is primarily used for visual things, like seeing a few people, flowers, or lights. It conveys the idea of something being visible in a scattered or intermittent way.
While you might *metaphorically* hear a 'ちらほら' of whispers, it's not its primary or most natural usage for sound. Stick to visual contexts for the most natural use.
Yes, you can. It works well with negative sentences to indicate a lack of something or very few of something.
For example, if you want to say there are hardly any people, you could say:
お店にはお客さんがちらほらしかいない。 (Omise ni wa okyakusan ga chirahora shika inai.)
(There are only a few scattered customers in the shop.)
The 'しか...ない' (shika...nai) construction reinforces the 'only a few' meaning.
“ちらほら” is neutral in terms of politeness. It's an adverb that describes a state or a manner, so it can be used in both casual and more formal contexts depending on the surrounding sentence structure and verb conjugations.
You don't need to worry about it being too casual or too formal on its own.
That's a good distinction to make!
ちらほら (chirahora): This word emphasizes the
雪がちらほら降っている。 (Yuki ga chirahora futte iru.)
(Snow is falling sporadically/here and there.)
It implies individual flakes or light bursts of snow, not a continuous heavy fall.
少し (sukoshi): This simply means 'a little' or 'a small amount/quantity.' It focuses on the
雪が少し降っている。 (Yuki ga sukoshi futte iru.)
(It's snowing a little.)
This implies a light snow, but doesn't necessarily describe its scattered pattern.
So, “ちらほら” describes *how* something is distributed or appears, while “少し” describes *how much* of something there is.
Yes, it's often used that way! When something is just starting to appear or happen, and it's still sparse or intermittent, “ちらほら” is a great fit.
For example:
桜がちらほら咲き始めた。 (Sakura ga chirahora saki hajimeta.)
(Cherry blossoms have started to bloom sporadically/here and there.)
This means only a few blossoms have opened so far.
No, “ちらほら” is typically written only in
You'll almost always see it as ちらほら, not with kanji.
Yes, you can! When rumors or news are just starting to spread and are not widely known yet, or when they appear intermittently, “ちらほら” can be used effectively.
For example:
彼が結婚するという噂がちらほら聞こえてきた。 (Kare ga kekkon suru to iu uwasa ga chirahora kikoete kita.)
(Rumors that he's getting married have started to be heard here and there/sporadically.)
A very common pattern is [Noun] がちらほら [Verb].
Here are a couple of examples:
葉がちらほら落ち始めた。 (Ha ga chirahora ochi hajimeta.)
(Leaves have started to fall here and there.)
店の前に人がちらほら並んでいる。 (Mise no mae ni hito ga chirahora narande iru.)
(People are lining up sporadically in front of the shop.)
You'll often see it with verbs related to appearing, falling, gathering, or blooming.
Teste dich selbst 162 Fragen
公園に人が___います。
The sentence means 'There are people scattered here and there in the park.' 'ちらほら' fits this meaning best. 'たくさん' (many), 'いつも' (always), and 'ぜんぜん' (not at all) don't convey the idea of sparse presence.
雪が___降っています。
The sentence means 'Snow is falling sporadically.' 'ちらほら' describes the scattered, infrequent nature of the snow. 'たくさん' (a lot), 'しずかに' (quietly), and 'はやく' (quickly) do not fit the context of sparse snowfall.
雨が___降ってきました。
The sentence means 'It started raining sporadically.' 'ちらほら' indicates that the rain is light and scattered, not continuous or heavy. 'つよく' (strongly), 'ずっと' (all the time), and 'まだ' (still) don't convey this meaning.
庭に花が___咲いています。
The sentence means 'Flowers are blooming here and there in the garden.' 'ちらほら' indicates a scattered, not dense, distribution of flowers. 'すべて' (all), 'きれいに' (beautifully), and 'どこにも' (nowhere) do not fit the description of scattered blooms.
お店に客が___いました。
The sentence means 'There were a few customers scattered in the store.' 'ちらほら' describes the sparse presence of customers. 'いつも' (always), 'たくさん' (many), and 'ぜんぜん' (not at all) don't fit the context.
部屋に猫が___います。
The sentence means 'There are a few cats scattered here and there in the room.' 'ちらほら' suggests a sparse and dispersed presence. 'いつも' (always), 'たくさん' (many), and 'ぜんぜん' (not at all) do not convey the same meaning.
Choose the best English meaning for 「ちらほら」:
「ちらほら」 means 'here and there' or 'sporadically', indicating something is thinly scattered or appears infrequently.
Which sentence uses 「ちらほら」 correctly?
「ちらほら」 describes a sparse or scattered presence, which fits 'people here and there'.
What is the opposite of 「ちらほら」?
「ちらほら」 indicates a small, scattered amount. 「たくさん」 (many) is the most direct opposite.
「ちらほら」 can describe snow falling lightly.
Yes, 'thinly scattered' or 'sporadically' fits the idea of light snowfall.
If you see 「ちらほら」, it means there is a very large amount of something.
No, 「ちらほら」 implies a small, scattered, or infrequent amount, not a large one.
You can use 「ちらほら」 to talk about seeing a few friends at a big event.
Yes, if you see only a few friends 'here and there' in a large crowd, 「ちらほら」 is appropriate.
There are cats scattered around.
It's raining sporadically.
Snow is dancing here and there.
Read this aloud:
人がちらほらいます。
Focus: ちらほら (chira hora)
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Read this aloud:
花がちらほら咲いています。
Focus: ちらほら (chira hora)
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Read this aloud:
星がちらほら見えます。
Focus: ちらほら (chira hora)
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Imagine you are walking in a park. Describe what you see using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
公園を歩いていました。人がちらほらいました。木もちらほら見えました。
You are at a café. Describe the number of customers using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
カフェにいました。お客さんがちらほらいました。
Describe a sky with a few stars visible using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
夜空に星がちらほら見えました。
公園に何がちらほらいましたか？
Read this passage:
今日は寒い日です。公園を散歩しました。人がちらほらいました。犬もちらほら見えました。木に葉っぱがちらほら残っていました。
公園に何がちらほらいましたか？
文章に「人がちらほらいました」とあります。
文章に「人がちらほらいました」とあります。
デパートの人はどうでしたか？
Read this passage:
週末、デパートに行きました。いつもは人が多いですが、今日はちらほらでした。少し寂しい感じがしました。
デパートの人はどうでしたか？
文章に「今日はちらほらでした」とあります。
文章に「今日はちらほらでした」とあります。
春に何がちらほら咲きますか？
Read this passage:
私の家から山が見えます。冬は雪がちらほら降ります。春になると、桜がちらほら咲きます。
春に何がちらほら咲きますか？
文章に「春になると、桜がちらほら咲きます」とあります。
文章に「春になると、桜がちらほら咲きます」とあります。
This sentence means 'It's snowing sporadically.' '雪が' (yuki ga) is the subject 'snow', 'ちらほら' (chirahora) means 'sporadically', and '降っています' (futte imasu) means 'is falling'.
This sentence means 'Cherry blossoms have started to bloom here and there.' '桜が' (sakura ga) is the subject 'cherry blossoms', 'ちらほら' (chirahora) means 'here and there', and '咲き始めました' (saki hajimemashita) means 'have started to bloom'.
This sentence means 'There are a few flowers scattered in the garden.' '庭に' (niwa ni) means 'in the garden', '花が' (hana ga) is the subject 'flowers', 'ちらほら' (chirahora) means 'scattered sparsely', and 'あります' (arimasu) means 'there are'.
公園にはまだ桜の花が___咲いています。
「ちらほら」は、花がまばらに咲いている様子を表すのに使います。「たくさん」は多く、「きれいに」は美しく、「いつも」は常に、という意味です。
雨が___降り始めました。
「ちらほら」は、雨がまばらに降る様子を表すのに適しています。「強く」は激しく、「たくさん」は多く、「早く」は速く、という意味です。
休日の朝、駅にはまだ人が___しかいません。
「ちらほら」は、人がまばらにいる様子を表します。「たくさん」は多く、「いつも」は常に、「だれも」は誰もいない、という意味です。
山の頂上には、雪が___残っていました。
「ちらほら」は、雪がまばらに残っている様子を表すのに使います。「いっぱい」はたくさん、「きれいに」は美しく、「ずっと」は常に、という意味です。
最近、町に新しいお店が___できています。
「ちらほら」は、お店がまばらにできている様子を表すのに適しています。「たくさん」は多く、「早く」は速く、「いつも」は常に、という意味です。
朝早く、空には星が___見えました。
「ちらほら」は、星がまばらに見える様子を表すのに使います。「たくさん」は多く、「きれいに」は美しく、「ずっと」は常に、という意味です。
Which of these describes something appearing "ちらほら"?
ちらほら means 'here and there' or 'sporadically,' so a few cherry blossoms beginning to open fits this description.
If you see clouds "ちらほら" in the sky, what does that mean?
ちらほら indicates a sparse or scattered presence, like a few clouds here and there.
Choose the best English translation for: 「庭に花がちらほら咲いている。」
ちらほら (chira-hora) means 'here and there' or 'sporadically,' referring to a few flowers blooming, not many.
If someone says, 「彼は仕事にちらほら来る。」, it means he comes to work every day.
「ちらほら来る」 (chira-hora kuru) means coming sporadically or occasionally, not every day.
「ちらほら」 can be used to describe a large, dense crowd of people.
「ちらほら」 describes something thinly scattered or appearing sporadically, not a large, dense crowd.
You can use 「ちらほら」 to say that rain is falling lightly and intermittently.
「ちらほら」 can describe things appearing or happening sporadically, including light and intermittent rain or snow.
What kind of rain is falling today?
How many people were in the park?
What started to fall 'here and there'?
Read this aloud:
ちらほらと雪が降ってきた。
Focus: chi-ra-ho-ra
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Read this aloud:
お店にちらほらとお客さんがいる。
Focus: o-kya-ku-san ga i-ru
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Read this aloud:
まだ桜がちらほら咲いている。
Focus: sa-ku-ra ga chi-ra-ho-ra sa-i-te-i-ru
Du hast gesagt:
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Describe a park where only a few people are present, using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
公園にはちらほらと人がいました。
Write a sentence about seeing a few cherry blossoms blooming in early spring, using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
春先に桜がちらほら咲いていました。
Imagine a cafe with only a few customers. Write a sentence describing this using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
カフェにはちらほらとお客さんがいました。
この空の様子で正しいのはどれですか？
Read this passage:
今日の空には雲がちらほら見えます。時々、太陽の光が差しています。公園を散歩している人もちらほらいます。
この空の様子で正しいのはどれですか？
「ちらほら」は「まばらに、少し」という意味です。
「ちらほら」は「まばらに、少し」という意味です。
このお店のお客さんの状態として正しいのはどれですか？
Read this passage:
お店に入ると、まだ開店したばかりで、お客さんはちらほらしかいませんでした。店員さんは商品を並べていました。
このお店のお客さんの状態として正しいのはどれですか？
「ちらほらしかいませんでした」は「少ししかいなかった」という意味です。
「ちらほらしかいませんでした」は「少ししかいなかった」という意味です。
今日の図書館の様子について、正しいのはどれですか？
Read this passage:
図書館はいつも人が多いですが、今日は雨のせいか、ちらほらとしか利用者がいません。とても静かです。
今日の図書館の様子について、正しいのはどれですか？
「ちらほらとしか利用者がいません」は「利用者がまばらにしかいない、少ない」という意味です。
「ちらほらとしか利用者がいません」は「利用者がまばらにしかいない、少ない」という意味です。
公園にはまだ桜が___咲いている。(Kōen ni wa mada sakura ga ___ saite iru.) (The cherry blossoms are still blooming ___ in the park.)
ちらほら (chirahora) means 'here and there' or 'sporadically,' which fits the context of cherry blossoms blooming thinly.
冬の朝、雪が___降ってきた。(Fuyu no asa, yuki ga ___ futte kita.) (On a winter morning, snow started falling ___.)
ちらほら (chirahora) describes snow falling in scattered, infrequent flakes.
彼の話には面白い点が___見られる。(Kare no hanashi ni wa omoshiroi ten ga ___ mirareru.) (Interesting points can be seen ___ in his story.)
ちらほら (chirahora) indicates that interesting points appear here and there, not consistently or frequently.
森の中には、小さな花が___咲いていた。(Mori no naka ni wa, chiisana hana ga ___ saite ita.) (Small flowers were blooming ___ in the forest.)
ちらほら (chirahora) conveys the idea of flowers being scattered thinly, not densely.
新しいカフェはまだお客さんが___しか来ていない。(Atarashii kafe wa mada okyaku-san ga ___ shika kite inai.) (The new cafe still only has customers coming ___.)
ちらほら (chirahora) implies that customers are coming in small numbers, sporadically.
授業中、先生の話を聞いている生徒が___いた。(Jugyōchū, sensei no hanashi o kiite iru seito ga ___ ita.) (During class, there were students listening to the teacher's story ___.)
ちらほら (chirahora) suggests that only a few students were listening here and there, not everyone.
Choose the best English translation for 'ちらほら' in the sentence: 木々の葉がちらほらと落ち始めた。
'ちらほら' indicates something happening or appearing sparsely or intermittently, like leaves falling one by one in different spots.
Which sentence correctly uses 'ちらほら' to describe a light, scattered presence?
'雨がちらほらと降り出した' means 'It started raining sporadically/lightly,' which fits the meaning of scattered presence. The other options imply frequency or intensity that doesn't align with 'ちらほら'.
If you see a few stars appearing in the night sky, how would you best describe it using 'ちらほら'?
'星がちらほらと見え始めた' means 'Stars started appearing here and there/sporadically,' which accurately describes a few scattered stars.
The sentence 'レストランにはちらほらと客がいた' means the restaurant was full of customers.
'ちらほらと客がいた' means there were 'a few scattered customers,' implying the restaurant was not full.
You can use 'ちらほら' to describe a dense crowd of people.
'ちらほら' is used for things that are sparse, scattered, or appearing intermittently, not for dense crowds.
The phrase '白髪がちらほら生えている' means someone has a few grey hairs appearing.
'白髪がちらほら生えている' literally means 'grey hairs are growing here and there,' which accurately describes having a few scattered grey hairs.
Imagine you're at a park. Describe what you see using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
公園にはちらほら人がいて、木もちらほら見えます。花もちらほら咲いていました。
Write a short message to a friend about the weather, using 'ちらほら' to describe some light, scattered rain.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
今日は一日中、雨がちらほら降っています。傘を持ってきた方がいいよ。
You are describing a quiet cafe. Use 'ちらほら' to indicate that there are only a few customers.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
このカフェは静かで、お客さんもちらほらしかいません。
この山道はどのような状態ですか？
Read this passage:
週末の山道は、紅葉がちらほらと色づき始めていました。まだ全体が赤くなっているわけではありませんが、ところどころに美しい色が散らばっていました。ハイキングをする人もちらほら見かけました。
この山道はどのような状態ですか？
「紅葉がちらほらと色づき始めていました」という記述から、紅葉が始まったばかりで、まばらに色づいていることがわかります。
「紅葉がちらほらと色づき始めていました」という記述から、紅葉が始まったばかりで、まばらに色づいていることがわかります。
この商店街の様子として正しいものはどれですか？
Read this passage:
古い商店街を歩いていると、閉まっている店がちらほらありました。しかし、その中でも頑張って営業している小さな店がいくつかあり、活気を感じさせました。昔ながらの風景が残っていて、懐かしい気持ちになりました。
この商店街の様子として正しいものはどれですか？
「閉まっている店がちらほらありました」という記述と、「頑張って営業している小さな店がいくつかあり、活気を感じさせました」という記述から判断できます。
「閉まっている店がちらほらありました」という記述と、「頑張って営業している小さな店がいくつかあり、活気を感じさせました」という記述から判断できます。
公園には何が残っていましたか？
Read this passage:
雨上がりの公園には、まだ水たまりがちらほら残っていました。子どもたちは水たまりを避けながら、楽しそうに遊んでいます。空には虹がちらほら見え、とても美しい景色でした。
公園には何が残っていましたか？
「まだ水たまりがちらほら残っていました」と書かれています。
「まだ水たまりがちらほら残っていました」と書かれています。
This sentence means 'Snow started falling here and there.' ちらほら describes the scattered manner of the snow.
This sentence means 'There were still only a few people scattered here and there in the venue.' ちらほら しか emphasizes the sparse number of people.
This sentence means 'Cherry blossoms are blooming sparsely in the park.' ちらほら describes the scattered blooming.
先週末のイベントには、雨にもかかわらず、来場者が___見られました。
「ちらほら」は、人数や物がまばらに存在している様子を表します。雨の中で多くの人が来場するとは考えにくい状況なので、「ちらほら」が適切です。
冬の日本庭園には、まだ雪が___残っている場所があります。
雪が「ちらほら」残っている、というのは、まばらに、あるいは一部にだけ残っている様子を表し、自然な表現です。
最近、このカフェでは外国人の客を___見かけるようになりました。
「ちらほら見かける」は、以前よりも増えたものの、まだそれほど多くはない状況を表すのに適しています。
彼は最近、疲れているのか、授業中に___居眠りをしています。
「ちらほら居眠りをする」は、完全に寝てしまうのではなく、まばらにうとうとしている様子を表すのに自然です。
あの山には、秋になると紅葉が___見え始める。
紅葉が「ちらほら」見え始める、というのは、まだ全体が紅葉しているわけではなく、まばらに色づき始めている様子を表します。
この地域は開発が進んでいますが、昔ながらの家もまだ___残っています。
開発が進んでいる中で「ちらほら」昔ながらの家が残っている、というのは、全体としては少ないが、まばらに見られる状況を表します。
Choose the sentence where 「ちらほら」 is used correctly.
「ちらほら」 describes something appearing or happening sparsely or intermittently, like scattered raindrops.
Which of the following situations best describes the use of 「ちらほら」?
「ちらほら」 implies a small, scattered number of things or occurrences, fitting a quiet park with a few people.
What is the most appropriate word to replace 「ちらほら」 in the sentence: 「木の葉がちらほら落ち始めた。」?
「ちらほら」 means 'here and there' or 'sporadically', which is similar to 'sometimes' (時々) in this context for falling leaves.
「ちらほら」 can be used to describe a large crowd of people.
「ちらほら」 specifically refers to something being sparse or thinly scattered, not a large crowd.
The phrase 「雪がちらほら降る」 means it is snowing heavily.
「ちらほら」 indicates light, scattered snowfall, not heavy snow.
You can use 「ちらほら」 to describe scattered stars in the night sky.
「ちらほら」 is suitable for describing things that are thinly scattered, like stars in the sky.
The speaker is talking about hearing good news occasionally.
The speaker is describing the beginning of snowfall.
The speaker is observing people's expressions during a meeting.
Read this aloud:
公園にはまだ桜がちらほら咲いている。
Focus: ちらほら
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
彼の話にはちらほら矛盾があった。
Focus: ちらほら
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
昔の友人と、ちらほら連絡を取り合っている。
Focus: ちらほら
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Imagine you're describing a quiet park on an autumn afternoon. Use 'ちらほら' to describe something you see there.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
秋の午後の公園では、ちらほらと紅葉が始まっていました。ベンチにはちらほら人が座っていて、静かな時間が流れていました。
You are at a new cafe. Describe the atmosphere using 'ちらほら' to talk about the number of customers.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
新しいカフェはとてもおしゃれで、オープンしたばかりなのに、ちらほらとお客さんが来ていました。静かで落ち着ける雰囲気です。
Write a short message to a friend describing a light rain. Use 'ちらほら' to convey the intermittent nature of the rain.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
今日は一日中、ちらほらと雨が降ったり止んだりしているよ。傘を持って出かけた方がいいかもね。
この冬の雪の状況について、正しい記述はどれですか？
Read this passage:
今年の冬は暖かく、雪がちらほらと降る程度で、積もることはほとんどありませんでした。スキー場は雪不足で困っているようです。
この冬の雪の状況について、正しい記述はどれですか？
パッセージに「雪がちらほらと降る程度で、積もることはほとんどありませんでした」とあるため、Cが正しいです。
パッセージに「雪がちらほらと降る程度で、積もることはほとんどありませんでした」とあるため、Cが正しいです。
休日の午後の店の様子について、最も適切な説明はどれですか？
Read this passage:
その店は駅から少し離れた場所にあるが、休日の午後にはちらほらと買い物客が見られる。地元の人に愛されているようだ。
休日の午後の店の様子について、最も適切な説明はどれですか？
「ちらほらと買い物客が見られる」という表現から、客がまばらに、時々見られるという意味が読み取れます。
「ちらほらと買い物客が見られる」という表現から、客がまばらに、時々見られるという意味が読み取れます。
桜の開花状況について、正しい記述はどれですか？
Read this passage:
公園の桜はまだ満開ではないが、ちらほらと花が咲き始めている。来週末には見頃になりそうだ。
桜の開花状況について、正しい記述はどれですか？
「ちらほらと花が咲き始めている」という記述から、まだ満開ではないものの、花がまばらに咲き始めていることがわかります。
「ちらほらと花が咲き始めている」という記述から、まだ満開ではないものの、花がまばらに咲き始めていることがわかります。
This sentence describes snow starting to fall sporadically. 'ちらほら' comes before the verb it modifies.
This means autumn leaves have started to change color here and there. 'ちらほらと' functions adverbially.
This sentence indicates that there were only a few, scattered customers. 'ちらほら しか' emphasizes the scarcity.
公園の桜はまだ満開ではないが、___咲き始めている。
「ちらほら」は「あちこちにまばらに」という意味で、桜が部分的に咲き始めている状況を表すのに適切です。
会議には予定よりも参加者が少なく、___しか集まらなかった。
「ちらほら」は「まばらに、少しずつ」という意味で、参加者が少ない状況を示します。
雨が降り始めたが、まだ小降りで傘をさしている人も___見かける程度だ。
「ちらほら」は「まばらに、散見される」という意味で、傘をさしている人が少しいる状況を表すのに適しています。
長い冬が終わり、暖かい日にはハイキングをする人が___山道に見られるようになった。
「ちらほら」は「あちこちにまばらに」という意味で、ハイキングをする人が少しずつ見え始める様子を示します。
新しいお店がオープンしたが、まだあまり知られていないためか、お客さんは___だ。
「ちらほら」は「まばらに、少数しかいない」という意味で、客足が少ない状況を表現するのに適切です。
今年の紅葉は遅れているようで、まだ木々には___赤や黄色が見え始めたばかりだ。
「ちらほら」は「あちこちにまばらに」という意味で、紅葉が部分的に色づき始めた状況を表すのに適しています。
先週末のイベントには、人が___としかいませんでした。
「ちらほら」は、数が少なく、まばらに存在している様子を表します。イベントに人が少ない状況に合致します。
公園にはまだ桜の花が___咲いています。
「ちらほら」は、完全にではないが、少しずつ咲いている状態を表現するのに適切です。
彼の話には、時折、事実と異なる情報が___見られます。
「ちらほら」は、散発的に、時々という意味で使われ、事実と異なる情報が散見される状況に合います。
このレストランはいつも満席で、空席がちらほらあることはありません。
「ちらほら」は「まばらにある」という意味なので、満席の店に空席がちらほらあるという表現は矛盾します。
彼の意見は会議で多くの支持を集め、反対意見はちらほらしか出ませんでした。
「ちらほら」は「少しだけ」「散発的に」という意味で、反対意見が少数であったことを表すのに適切です。
雪がちらほら降っていたので、傘を持って出かける必要はありませんでした。
「ちらほら降る」は雪がまばらに降る様子を表し、その程度であれば傘が不要な場合もあります。
The speaker is talking about hearing rumors of job changes.
The speaker is describing the beginning of snowfall.
The speaker is observing participants nodding off during a meeting.
Read this aloud:
紅葉の時期ですが、まだちらほらとしか色づいていませんね。
Focus: ちらほら
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
最近はちらほらと雨が降る日が増えました。
Focus: ちらほら
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
この辺りでは、古い民家がちらほら見られます。
Focus: ちらほら
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You are writing a short blog post about the first signs of autumn in your neighborhood. Use 'ちらほら' to describe the changing leaves or fewer people outside.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
最近、私の近所では秋の気配がちらほら見え始めました。木の葉の色が変わり、散歩する人もちらほらしか見かけません。涼しい風が気持ちいいです。
Describe a quiet market where only a few stalls are open and a few customers are browsing. Use 'ちらほら' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
早朝の市場はとても静かで、開店している店もちらほらしかありません。買い物客もまばらで、ちらほらと商品を眺めている人がいるだけでした。
Imagine you're reporting on a new, experimental art exhibition that hasn't attracted many visitors yet. Use 'ちらほら' to describe the attendance.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
新しい実験的なアート展には、まだ来場者がちらほらとしかいません。しかし、そのユニークな作品は、今後もっと多くの注目を集めるでしょう。
会議の参加者はどのような状況でしたか？
Read this passage:
今日の会議は参加者がちらほらとしか集まらず、重要な決定を延期せざるを得ませんでした。議題が複雑だったため、もう少し時間をかけて検討する必要がありそうです。
会議の参加者はどのような状況でしたか？
「ちらほらとしか集まらず」という表現から、参加者が少なかったことが分かります。
「ちらほらとしか集まらず」という表現から、参加者が少なかったことが分かります。
桜の花について、どのような状況が述べられていますか？
Read this passage:
長雨が続き、桜の花はほとんど散ってしまいましたが、木によってはまだちらほらとピンク色が残っています。この時期にしか見られない、儚い美しさです。
桜の花について、どのような状況が述べられていますか？
「ほとんど散ってしまいましたが、木によってはまだちらほらとピンク色が残っています」という記述から、ほとんど散ったものの、まだ少し残っていることが分かります。
「ほとんど散ってしまいましたが、木によってはまだちらほらとピンク色が残っています」という記述から、ほとんど散ったものの、まだ少し残っていることが分かります。
新しいカフェの現在の状況について、最も適切な記述はどれですか？
Read this passage:
新しいカフェはオープンしたばかりですが、週末にはすでに観光客がちらほらと訪れています。評判が口コミで広がり、平日は地元の人で賑わうことが期待されます。
新しいカフェの現在の状況について、最も適切な記述はどれですか？
「週末にはすでに観光客がちらほらと訪れています」という記述が、観光客が少しずつ訪れている状況を示しています。
「週末にはすでに観光客がちらほらと訪れています」という記述が、観光客が少しずつ訪れている状況を示しています。
This sentence describes snow starting to fall sparsely. 'ちらほら' modifies '降り始めた' (started to fall).
This sentence indicates that spectators began to take their seats sporadically. 'ちらほらと' functions adverbially to describe the action.
This sentence says that autumn leaves can be seen here and there on the trees. 'ちらほら' describes the scattered appearance of the leaves.
今日の会議には参加者が___しかいなかった。
「ちらほら」は、人数がまばらにいる様子を表します。文脈から、参加者が少なかったことを示唆しています。
公園の桜はまだ___と咲いているだけだ。
「ちらほら」は、花がまばらに咲いている状態を表現するのに適しています。まだ全体が咲きそろっていないことを示しています。
昔の面影は___と残るばかりで、寂しさを感じさせる。
「ちらほら」は、過去の記憶や風景がまばらに残っている状況を表すのに使われます。完全に失われたわけではないが、わずかしか残っていないニュアンスです。
夜空には___と星が見え始めた。
星が少しずつ、まばらに見え始める様子を「ちらほら」と表現します。まだ多くの星が出ていない状況を示します。
彼の話には、時折___と面白いジョークが混ざる。
ジョークが頻繁ではなく、たまに、まばらに現れる様子を「ちらほら」で表現します。この文脈では、「時々」と同じような意味合いで使われますが、より散発的なニュアンスが含まれます。
都会の喧騒から離れた場所では、住民も___だ。
人がまばらにしかいない状況を「ちらほら」と表現します。都会の喧騒とは対照的に、人通りが少ない様子を示しています。
Choose the sentence where 「ちらほら」 is used correctly.
「ちらほら」 describes something appearing or happening sparsely or intermittently. Rain starting sporadically fits this usage.
Which of the following best describes a situation where 「ちらほら」 would be appropriate?
「ちらほら」 emphasizes the sparse and scattered nature of things or people. A quiet park with few people is a perfect fit.
Select the sentence that uses 「ちらほら」 to mean 'sporadically'.
This sentence implies that 'he' shows up infrequently or irregularly, which aligns with the 'sporadically' meaning of 「ちらほら」.
「ちらほらと人が集まってきた」 means 'A large crowd of people gathered quickly'.
「ちらほらと人が集まってきた」 implies that people are gathering slowly and in small numbers, not a large crowd quickly.
It is appropriate to use 「ちらほら」 to describe a thick fog.
「ちらほら」 describes something thinly scattered or appearing sparsely. A thick fog is dense, not sparse.
You can use 「ちらほら」 to describe leaves falling one by one from a tree.
The image of leaves falling individually and intermittently fits the 'sporadically' or 'here and there' sense of 「ちらほら」.
Imagine you're walking through a park in early spring. Describe the scene, specifically mentioning how the cherry blossoms are just starting to appear, thinly scattered across the branches, using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
早春の公園を散歩していると、桜の木にはまだ花が少なく、ちらほらとピンク色の花びらが見え始めた。その控えめな美しさが、これから来る満開の季節を予感させる。
You are at a cafe, and there are only a few customers, appearing sporadically. Describe the atmosphere of the cafe using 'ちらほら' to convey the sparse presence of people.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
午後のカフェは、窓から差し込む光が穏やかに店内を照らしていた。客はまだ少なく、ちらほらと席に座って読書をしたり、ノートパソコンを広げたりしている。静かで落ち着いた時間が流れていた。
You are watching a movie in a nearly empty cinema. Describe the audience, emphasizing that only a few people are scattered throughout the theater, using 'ちらほら'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
レイトショーの映画館は、週末にもかかわらず席がほとんど埋まっておらず、ちらほらと観客が座っているだけだった。広々とした空間で、映画に集中することができた。
この文章から、雨の降り方について最も適切に説明しているのはどれですか？
Read this passage:
今日の天気予報によると、午後からは雨がちらほら降る可能性があるとのこと。折りたたみ傘を持っていった方が良さそうだ。しかし、強く降るわけではなく、一時的なものだろう。
この文章から、雨の降り方について最も適切に説明しているのはどれですか？
「雨がちらほら降る可能性がある」という表現と、「強く降るわけではなく、一時的なものだろう」という記述から、断続的に弱く降る可能性を指しています。
「雨がちらほら降る可能性がある」という表現と、「強く降るわけではなく、一時的なものだろう」という記述から、断続的に弱く降る可能性を指しています。
筆者は、どんな場所を進んでいると説明していますか？
Read this passage:
その田舎道を進むと、家並みは次第にまばらになり、山間部に入るとちらほらと古い民家が見えるだけになった。文明から離れていくような感覚に包まれた。
筆者は、どんな場所を進んでいると説明していますか？
「家並みは次第にまばらになり」「山間部に入るとちらほらと古い民家が見えるだけになった」という記述から、家が少なく古い民家が点在する田舎道を進んでいることがわかります。
「家並みは次第にまばらになり」「山間部に入るとちらほらと古い民家が見えるだけになった」という記述から、家が少なく古い民家が点在する田舎道を進んでいることがわかります。
今年の冬の雪の状況について、最も正確な記述はどれですか？
Read this passage:
今年の冬は暖かく、雪が降ったのはほんの数回。それも、ちらほらと舞う程度で、積もることはほとんどなかった。例年と比べて、かなり穏やかな冬だったと言える。
今年の冬の雪の状況について、最も正確な記述はどれですか？
「雪が降ったのはほんの数回。それも、ちらほらと舞う程度で、積もることはほとんどなかった」という記述が、この選択肢の内容と一致します。
「雪が降ったのはほんの数回。それも、ちらほらと舞う程度で、積もることはほとんどなかった」という記述が、この選択肢の内容と一致します。
The particles が and は mark the subject. ちらほら is an adverb describing how the snow is falling. 降り始めた means 'started to fall'.
森の中に (in the forest) sets the location. 家が (houses) is the subject. ちらほらと (sporadically) modifies 見える (can be seen).
客は (customers) is the topic. まだ (still) indicates an ongoing state. ちらほらしか～ない (only sporadically) indicates a small, scattered number. 来ていない means 'have not come'.
/ 162 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
ちらほら describes things appearing or happening in a sparse or scattered way, like a few people or snow.
- sparsely
- intermittently
- scattered
Basic Meaning of Chira Hora
Understand that 「ちらほら」 (chira hora) describes things appearing or happening sparsely or intermittently. It’s like seeing a few scattered leaves on a tree in autumn.
Visualizing Chira Hora
Imagine a situation where something is not abundant or continuous. For example, seeing a few people here and there in a large park, or a few snowflakes falling sporadically.
Chira Hora for Sight
It's often used for things you see intermittently. 「桜がちらほら咲いている」 (Sakura ga chira hora saite iru) means 'The cherry blossoms are sporadically blooming (a few here and there).'
Chira Hora for Sound
While less common, it can sometimes describe intermittent sounds, like a few claps here and there during a quiet performance.
Verwandte Inhalte
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～上
B1Above; on top of; up.
〜の上
A2On top of, above, upon.
豊か
B1Abundant; rich; plentiful (na-adjective).
〜に従って
B1According to, in conformity with, as (something happens).
酸性雨
B1Acid rain.
営み
B1Activity; daily life; undertaking (e.g., life's activities).
順応する
B1To adapt; to adjust; to conform.
~を背景に
B1Against the backdrop of; with...as background.
空気
A2air
大気汚染
B1Air pollution; the presence of harmful substances in the air.
