Question
of the Week
Vol. 16
Q. What does "pera pera" mean?
A. "Pera pera （ぺらぺら）" is a gitaigo (words mimicking states). They directly express states or actions of people and things. There are a few meanings for "pera pera" depending on the context.
(1) Talk fluently
| Kare wa nihongo ga pera pera desu. 彼は日本語がぺらぺらです。 |
He speaks Japanese fluently. |
(2) Talkativeness in a negative sense or to chatter.
| Hiroshi wa himitsu o pera pera hanashite shimaimashita. 博は秘密をぺらぺら話しました。 |
Hiroshi was so talkative that he told the secret. |
(3) Thin, flimsy
| Kono shatsu wa pera pera da. このシャツはぺらぺらだ。 |
This shirt is flimsy. |
