ドライ
どらい
na-adjective / noun
dry; unemotional, detached
1.
dry
Not wet; lacking moisture. Used for hair, weather, beverages, and other physical contexts.
ドライヤーで髪をドライにする。
Dry your hair with a hair dryer.
このワインはドライで飲みやすい。
This wine is dry and easy to drink.
冬はドライな空気で肌が乾燥する。
The dry winter air makes my skin dry out.
2.
unemotional, detached, businesslike
Describes a person or attitude that is cool, rational, and unsentimental. Implies someone who does not let emotions influence decisions or relationships.
あの人はドライだ。
That person is detached.
彼はドライな性格で、別れても泣かなかった。
He has an unemotional personality — he didn't cry even after the breakup.
仕事に関してはドライに判断した方がいい。
It's better to make detached judgments when it comes to work.
USAGE:
Sense 2 is particularly common in Japanese. Calling someone ドライ is not necessarily negative — it can mean admirably rational. However, it can also imply coldness or a lack of human warmth depending on context.
CONTRAST:
The opposite of ドライ (sense 2) is ウェット, which describes someone sentimental and emotionally attached. This ドライ／ウェット contrast is a common way to describe personality types in Japanese.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ドライな性格: detached personality
- ドライな関係: businesslike relationship
- ドライに割り切る: to take a detached, pragmatic view
- ドライフラワー: dried flowers
- ドライカレー: dry curry (a Japanese dish)