キラキラ
Meaning: Sparkling, glittering, or shining brightly. Also used metaphorically for someone radiating positive energy or living a glamorous life.
キラキラ originally describes physical sparkle — stars, jewels, light reflecting off water. In modern slang, it has expanded to describe people who seem to shine with positivity, ambition, or glamour. A キラキラ女子 is a woman who presents a polished, aspirational lifestyle on social media. The term キラキラネーム refers to unusual, hard-to-read names given to children, coined because parents want their kids to 'sparkle.'
Examples
- イルミネーションがキラキラしてて綺麗だね。 彩灯キラキラ(闪闪发光)的好漂亮啊。La iluminación está centelleando, ¡qué bonita!일루미네이션이 키라키라(반짝반짝)해서 예쁘다.
- あの子いつもキラキラしてて眩しいわ。 那个女生总是キラキラ(闪闪发光)的,好耀眼啊。Esa chica siempre brilla tanto que deslumbra.저 사람은 항상 키라키라(빛나고) 있어서 눈부셔.
- キラキラネームの子って読み方わかんないよね。 キラキラネーム(闪亮名字)的孩子,名字根本不知道怎么读对吧。Los nombres キラキラネーム son imposibles de leer, ¿verdad?키라키라네임(반짝이 이름)인 아이는 읽는 법을 모르겠어.
Pronunciation
/ki.ɾa.ki.ɾa/
Usage Guide
Context: social media, daily life, describing people or things
Tone: positive, admiring
✓ Do Say
- あの人キラキラしてて憧れる (That person is so radiant, I admire them)那个人キラキラ(闪闪发光)的,好让人羡慕あの人キラキラしてて憧れる (Esa persona brilla tanto que la admiro)저 사람 키라키라(빛나고) 있어서 동경해 (저 사람은 정말 빛나, 부러워)
- 海がキラキラ光ってて最高の景色 (The sea is sparkling — what a gorgeous view)大海キラキラ(波光粼粼)的,景色太美了海がキラキラ光ってて最高の景色 (El mar centellea, ¡qué paisaje tan espectacular!)바다가 키라키라(반짝반짝) 빛나서 최고의 풍경이야 (바다가 반짝여서 정말 멋진 경치야)
✗ Don't Say
- 皮肉で「キラキラしてるね」は嫌味に聞こえる (Using 'kira kira shiteru ne' sarcastically sounds passive-aggressive)讽刺地说'你好キラキラ(闪亮)哦'会让人觉得是在阴阳怪气皮肉で「キラキラしてるね」は嫌味に聞こえる (Usar 'kira kira shiteru ne' con sarcasmo suena como una pulla)비꼬는 투로 '키라키라하고 있네'라고 하면 비아냥으로 들린다 ('반짝반짝하네'를 빈정거리듯 말하면 싫은 소리로 들림)
Common Mistakes
- Not knowing the キラキラネーム usage — it's often discussed in Japanese social commentary
- Using キラキラ for something that's flashy in a negative way — use ギラギラ instead for harsh/gaudy glare
Origin & History
Traditional Japanese onomatopoeia for sparkling light. The metaphorical slang usage for glamorous people emerged in the 2000s-2010s with social media culture. キラキラネーム became a widely discussed social phenomenon in the 2010s.
Cultural Context
Era: Traditional onomatopoeia, slang expansion 2000s-2010s
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. キラキラネーム has been a major cultural talking point in Japanese media since the 2010s.
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