まばら
まばら
adjective (na)
sparse, scattered, thin
1.
sparse, scattered, thin, patchy
Describes things that are spread out with gaps between them, not dense or concentrated.
客はまばらだった。
There were only a few scattered customers.
まばらな拍手が起きた。
Scattered applause arose.
平日の午前中は人がまばらで、ゆっくり買い物ができた。
On weekday mornings there are few people, so I could shop at a leisurely pace.
FORMS:
- Attributive: まばらな + noun
- Predicate: まばらだ
WRITING:
The kanji 疎 exists but is rarely used. Hiragana is standard.
NUANCE:
Implies a lack of density that is noticeable. Often used for people in a space, vegetation, hair, or applause. Can imply a somewhat lonely or desolate atmosphere.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人がまばら: few people, sparsely populated
- まばらな拍手: scattered applause
- 髪がまばら: thinning hair
- まばらに生えている: growing sparsely