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You are here: Home / Casual Words / 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese

5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese

August 24, 2021

If you’re currently learning Japanese, you’d probably be dreaming of being ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese; ペラペラ is an onomatopoeic Japanese word that basically means “be fluent in a (foreign) language”, describing the image of words coming out of your mouth without pause. However, you probably don’t want to wear a “pera pera” coat in the dead of winter; in this context, ペラペラ means “paper-thin”, describing the flapping sound of a piece of paper. In fact, ペラペラ has other three meanings, amounting to five meanings in total, and this post explains all of their definitions, nuances and usages with an example sentence!

Table of Contents

  • Sense 1. Words come out from a mouth
    • Meaning 1: “very fluent in a (foreign) language”
      • Example Sentence
    • Meaning 2. “talk/gossip about something thoughtlessly”
      • Example Sentence
  • Sense 2. paper-thin
    • Meaning 2.1. “paper-thin”
      • Example Sentence
    • Meaning 2.2. “very shallow, airhead”
      • Example Sentence
    • Meaning 2.3. “Page flip sound”
      • Example Sentence

Sense 1. Words come out from a mouth

Meaning 1: “very fluent in a (foreign) language”

In this usage, it is often used as “Xがペラペラ” where X is an arbitrary language, and that means “You’re fluent in X”.

* A lot of Japanese people — mostly due to the inexperience of living abroad — mistakenly believe that once you live in a foreign country, you’ll be fluent in the language of the country without making much effort (that’s not true, of course). Therefore, when they meet some Japanese people who have lived in a foreign country, they often ask them “じゃあ、英語(えいご)ペラペラでしょ?”, meaning “Then, you’re fluent in English, right?”. The definition of “pera pera” varies greatly depending on people; some regard you as “pera pera” if you can manage to have a conversation with someone in the language, while others assume that “pera pera” is equivalent to a native level.

Example Sentence

I want to be fluent in English.
英語(えいご)がペラペラになりたい。

Meaning 2. “talk/gossip about something thoughtlessly”

In this case, “pera pera” is usually negative and often used when someone thoughtlessly reveals what is meant to be kept secret.

Example Sentence

彼女(かのじょ)は口(くち)が軽(かる)いので、人(ひと)の秘密(ひみつ)を他(ほか)の人(ひと)にペラペラとしゃべってしまう。
Since she has a big mouth, she thoughtlessly tells someone’s secrets to others.
* 口(くち)が軽(かる)い literally means “(one’s) mouth is light” and figuratively “have a big mouth; easily give away secret”

Sense 2. paper-thin

Meaning 2.1. “paper-thin”

It is often used negatively to describe thin clothes or materials.

Example Sentence

このジャケット高(たか)かったのにペラペラだ
This jacket was expensive but very thin.

Meaning 2.2. “very shallow, airhead”

It is often used negatively and sardonically to describe shallow things that have little meaningful content, or people who have little thoughts or ideas. In this usage, ペラペラ is often written/pronounced as “ペラッペラ”

Example Sentence

ペラッペラな男(おとこ)とは付(つ)き合(き)うなよ
Don’t date with a very shallow man.

Meaning 2.3. “Page flip sound”

It is often used as “ペラペラと”.

Example Sentence

ペラペラとページをめくる
Turn/Leaf through pages (with “pera pera” sound).

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