喋る

• Reading: しゃべる
• Romaji: shaberu
• Kanji breakdown: 喋 (chou/shabe) — to chatter, talk
• Pronunciation: /ɕa.be.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To talk; to chat; to chatter. Casual word for speaking or conversing.

A Group 1 (godan) verb conjugated with the る row. More casual and colloquial than 話す (to speak). Implies informal, sometimes excessive talking. Can have a slightly negative nuance when suggesting someone talks too much or reveals secrets (秘密を喋る — to blab a secret). Very common in everyday conversation.

Examples

1. 友達と電話で二時間も喋ってしまった。 I ended up chatting on the phone with my friend for two hours.
2. あの人は秘密を何でも喋ってしまう。 That person blabs about every secret.
3. カフェでコーヒーを飲みながら喋った。 We chatted over coffee at a café.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, friends, phone calls

Tone: casual

Origin & History

The kanji 喋 contains the mouth radical (口), reflecting its meaning of speaking. The character originally conveyed the idea of rapid, continuous speech — chattering.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal