Sensei, What is Charao “チャラ男” ? ～Japanese use various onomatopoeia～

Dogs bark with a “ワンワン(wan-wan),” and rain falls with a “シトシト(shito-shito)” sound.Japanese is a language where onomatopoeia is highly developed. We often add nouns or verbs to these onomatopoeic words, creating expressions rich in imagery and meaning.

Today, we introduce some of these interesting Japanese words.

Eri: “Hey Yuki, do you know Masao?”
Yuki: “Ah, you mean the チャラ男(charao)?”
Eri: “Yes! That guy. He hit on me again!”

The word “charao” is commonly used among younger generations to describe a man who is chara-chara, meaning frivolous or superficial.

Chara-chara conveys a sense of being insincere or shallow, and when you add “i” at the end, it becomes the adjective “charai.” By adding “o,” meaning “man,” which is also a common suffix in male names like Haruo or Akio, it turns into “charao.” This term reflects a sense of disdain or discomfort from the female perspective.

Teacher: “What did you all do yesterday, which was Sunday?”
Student: “I went ゴロゴロ(goro-goro) around Ginza yesterday.”
Teacher: “Goro-goro?! If you walked around in Ginza, that would be ブラブラ(bura-bura), right?”

“Bura-bura” refers to strolling around aimlessly and can also be used as the verb “ブラつく(bura-tsuku).” There is a term for the specific activity of browsing around Ginza, known as “銀ブラ(Ginbura)”. The word “bura-bura” originates from the appearance of people walking slowly, often swinging their arms back and forth. When you say “he came with 手ブラ(te-bura),” it means he arrived with his hands swinging, indicating that he came without carrying anything in his hands, suggesting that he visited somewhere without bringing a gift or souvenir.

On the other hand, “goro-goro” refers to relaxing or lying down without doing anything. If you were to do “goro-goro” in one of the biggest cities in Tokyo, it would likely disturb others. When you lie down and take a nap, that’s called “ゴロ寝(goro-ne)” (ne, meaning “sleep”). People who travel around without having a permanent place to live or a job are referred to as “ゴロツキ(goro-tsuki).” Interestingly, “goro-goro” is also used as an onomatopoeia to describe the sound of thunder.

Onomatopoeia in Japanese can be classified into two types: Giongo, which describes natural sounds or the sounds that animals make, and gitaigo, which symbolically represents the state or appearance of objects. For example, the sound of rain can be represented as “ポツポツ(potsu-potsu),” “シトシト(shito-shito),” or “ザアザア(zaa-zaa),” depending on each person’s sensitivity and perception. These expressions are not suitable for formal settings like meetings or research presentations, where one needs to speak based on facts and prioritize logical arguments. However, they are useful for expressing feelings intuitively, which is why they are commonly used in casual conversations.

Onomatopoeia has developed into a wide range of verbs and nouns, further creating new expressive effects. It possesses a rich ability to convey sensations and scenes, and when combined with other Japanese words, it becomes even more specific and lively.

ザワザワする(Zawazawa suru) / ザワつく(Zawatsuku): To be noisy and uncomfortable, often due to a large group of people gathering.
ガタガタする(Gatagata suru) / ガタつく(Gatatsuku): To make a rattling sound due to loose furniture or tools.
ムカムカする(Mukamuka suru) / ムカつく(Mukatsuku): To feel unpleasant and increasingly irritated or nauseous.
イライラする(Iraira suru) / イラつく(Iratsuku): To feel frustrated and emotional when things don’t go as planned.
ギラギラする(Giragira suru) / ギラつく(Giratsuku): To show desires too obviously, originating from the strong appearance of the sun’s light.

チョビひげ(Chobi-hige): A mustache grown slightly under the nose.
ポチャ顔(Pocha-gao): A round, cute face.
ポイ捨て(Poi-sute): To casually throw away things like cigarettes.
チョイ呑み(Choi-nomi): To drink a small amount of alcohol.
コソどろ(Koso-doro): A thief who steals small items opportunistically.
ガリ勉(Gari-ben): To study hard or desperately.
ドシャ降り(Dosha-buri): To rain heavily with large droplets.
ガブ飲み(Gabu-nomi): To drink in large quantities or gulp down.

These expressions are mainly used in casual conversations, helping Japanese speakers understand more intuitively and catch the imagery more easily.

For example, the word “charao,” which we introduced at the beginning, combines with other words to create unique nuances, effectively conveying young women’s feelings of disdain.

These compound words are diverse and unique; they sometimes function as slang that originates within specific groups or communities and then spreads widely. However, they can also become obsolete over time.
Let’s take a look at these diverse and unique expressions.

Housewife: “Ms. Yamada, how are you?”
Ms. Yamada: “Well, somehow. But it’s tough going to the hospital every day at my age.”
Housewife: “I see… That sounds tough.”
Ms. Yamada: “Indeed, ‘ピンピン コロリ(pinpin-korori)’ is the best!”

As people reach what is often referred to as the “later elderly” stage, they may experience various physical issues, resulting in daily visits to the hospital. Some may feel they are merely existing while causing inconvenience to others. The ideal concept of death is encapsulated in the term “pinpin-korori,” which signifies a preference for a short life over prolonged sickness—living healthily and vibrantly (pinpin) and passing away peacefully (korori) without suffering. This term carries a sense of self-deprecation among the elderly and poignantly reflects the realities of our super-aged society.

“ピン札(Pin-satsu)” means new banknotes without wrinkles, and “ピンと背筋を伸ばす(pin to se-suji o nobasu)” means to stretch your body straight. As you can tell, “ピンピン(pin-pin)” describes a state of being lively and energetic. On the other hand, “コロリ(korori)” has more precise nuances than “ゴロリ(gorori),” as it implies falling over easily and relates to death. For example, “If you are diagnosed with COVID, you’ll be ‘イチコロ(ichi-koro),’” or “Once you see that girl, all the men would be ‘ichi-koro,’” meaning you could easily be defeated or knocked out in one shot. The Japanese language masterfully utilizes onomatopoeia.

Wife: “Hey, do you think she’s actually singing on stage?”
Husband: “I’d say that’s ‘口パク(kuchi-paku).’”
Wife: “How do you know that??”
Husband: “Because her voice and the movement of her mouth don’t match.”

Kuchi-paku refers to singers moving their mouths in sync with pre-recorded audio during live performances, creating the illusion of singing live. The term originates from the onomatopoeia “paku-paku,” which evokes the image of fish in aquariums, repeatedly opening and closing their mouths.

The “パク(paku)” sound conveys the action of opening one’s mouth wide, like when you eat bread, which can be described as “パクパク(paku-paku).” Eating with large bites energetically is “パクつく(paku-tsuku),” and taking one big bite is “パクリ(pakuri).” Even an earthquake that causes large cracks in the ground can be referred to as “パックリ(pakkuri) to kuchi ga aiteiru,” meaning something has opened wide.

The “パク(paku)” sound also carries the nuance of taking or consuming with a big mouth, which is why the slang verb “パクる(pakuru)” means to plagiarize, with its noun form being “パクリ(pakuri).”

Although onomatopoeia isn’t suitable for official occasions, it is used very often in casual conversations because it feels more in tune with one’s personal sense. The most representative example would be “チャリンコ(charinko : bicycle),” which is said to originate from the sound made by a bicycle bell (though it seems that ringing them without purpose is now prohibited by law). When the bell is rung, it produces a “チャリチャリ(charin-charin)” sound. The suffix “—ko” is added to things that are familiar or evoke affection, as seen in words like “pachinko,” which comes from the sound of something being flicked (“パチンコ pachin”), and “ブランコ(buranko : swing),” which derives from “ブランブラン(buran-buran),” referring to something swinging.

Nowadays, people have shortened “チャリンコ(charinko)” even further to just “チャリ(chari).” The creativity of the younger generation is impressive, and there are many variations of “chari” commonly used. For instance, “原チャリ(gen-chari)” refers to motorized bicycles, “ママチャリ(mama-chari)” describes bicycles with child seats, and “チャリ通(chari-tsuu)” means commuting to work or school by bike. “激チャリ(Geki-chari)” refers to pedaling intensely, and there’s even a bike-sharing service called “チャリチャリ(chari-chari).” As you can see, Japanese people seem to enjoy rich conversations, incorporating a wide range of onomatopoeia.

Lastly, we introduce an onomatopoeia that symbolizes recent societal trends: ガチャガチャ(gacha-gacha).” This sound word describes a noisy, chaotic clattering made when multiple hard objects collide, such as the sound of washing dishes or broken glass. Interestingly, even the cricket known as “kutsuwamushi” was named “gacha-gacha” due to the similar sound it makes.

The small machines found in shopping malls or stations, where you insert coins and spin a lever to receive a prize, are also called “gacha-gacha” or “ガチャポン(gacha-pon)” due to the noise they make when operated (the ガチャ(gacha)” sound from turning the lever and the “ポン(pon)” when the prize pops out). However, the prizes come out completely at random, so you cannot predict which prize you will get. From this, the term “親ガチャ(oya-gacha)” (parent) was made. It refers to how your lifestyle can vary depending on your parent’s financial situation, social status, or occupation. The term is used sarcastically and as an excuse, representing circumstances beyond one’s control. This expression is primarily used by younger generations, and variations have emerged, such as “ko-gacha” (child), “shincho-gacha” (height), “ganmen-gacha” (face), “sensei-gacha” (teacher), “haizoku-gacha” (job assignment), “kuni-gacha” (country), and more. These terms represent things that are determined without your consent and cannot be changed. Onomatopoeia often reflects the spirit of the times.

Onomatopoeia in Japanese are deeply rooted in the language’s unique sense of sound, offering a vast array of expressions that many learners find challenging. However, there are tips that can help make them easier to understand.

From a general impression of sounds, the Japanese vowels in the gojūon have distinct nuances: the sounds in the “a” row convey a bright and open feeling (e.g., パタパタ(pata-pata), meaning pitter-patter), while the sounds in the “i” row are sharp, short, and give a sense of smallness (e.g., キリキリ(kiri-kiri), meaning crisp). The sounds in the “u” row evoke a dark and closed impression (e.g., グルグル(guru-guru), meaning whirring), and those in the “e” row tend to have a playful negative connotation (e.g., ヘラヘラ(hera-hera), meaning giggling), and finally, the sounds in the “o” row are strong and heavy (e.g., ドンドン(don-don), meaning thud).

Furthermore, there is a tendency for seion (清音：voiceless sounds) like “コロコロ(koro-koro)” to convey a small and light feeling, while dakuon (濁音：voiced sounds) such as “ゴロゴロ(goro-goro)” tend to evoke a sense of being big and heavy. This is just an example, and there are no strict rules governing these associations.

The quickest way to master these onomatopoeia is to listen to the pronunciations of teachers who are native speakers at TCJ and to capture the images while considering the meanings of each. Grasping the nuances in actual conversations will help you gain practical application skills.