しらける

• 読み: しらける
• ローマ字: shirakeru
• 発音: /ɕi.ɾa.ke.ɾɯ/

意味

To kill the mood, become awkward, or have the fun drain out of a situation.

しらける describes that moment when excitement, laughter, or good vibes suddenly evaporate. Someone tells a bad joke and the room goes silent — it しらけた. A buzzkill comment ruins the party atmosphere — みんなしらけた. The word captures the transition from warm engagement to cold discomfort. It can be used about the atmosphere (場がしらける) or about people (みんなしらけた). It is distinct from つまらない (boring) because it specifically implies that a good mood was killed.

例文

1. あの一言で場がしらけちゃったね。
2. つまらないギャグ言ってしらけさせるのやめて。
3. せっかく盛り上がってたのにしらけた。

使い方ガイド

場面: social gatherings, parties, describing awkward moments, everyday conversation

トーン: deflated, disappointed, uncomfortable

正しい言い方

• しらけさせてごめん、空気読めなかった。 (Sorry for killing the mood — I couldn't read the room.)
• 場がしらけたから話題変えよう。 (The mood died, so let's change the subject.)

避ける言い方

• 真面目な意見を言った人に「しらけるわ」は傷つける (Telling someone who shared a serious opinion 'you killed the mood' is hurtful)

よくある間違い

• Confusing しらける with つまらない — しらける specifically means a good mood was killed, while つまらない just means boring from the start

起源と歴史

From 白ける (shirakeru, literally 'to turn white/pale'), metaphorically describing the colour draining from a lively atmosphere. The word has been used in casual speech since the 1970s-80s, when it became a staple of everyday Japanese for describing awkward social moments.

文化的背景

時代: 1970s-80s

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. Closely tied to the concept of 空気を読む (reading the room) — しらける often results from someone failing to read the atmosphere.