1.
to tease, to make fun of, to jeer at
To mock or ridicule someone in a playful or slightly malicious way, often by making comments about their behavior or situation.
友達を冷やかした。
I teased my friend.
彼がデートに行くと言ったら、みんなに冷やかされた。
When he said he was going on a date, everyone teased him.
新人を冷やかすのはやめなさい。
Stop making fun of the newcomer.
2.
to window-shop, to browse without buying
To look at goods in a shop or stall without intending to purchase anything.
店を冷やかして歩いた。
I walked around window-shopping.
買うつもりはないが、骨董品店を冷やかしに行った。
I had no intention of buying, but went to browse the antique shop.
祭りの屋台を冷やかしながら友人と楽しく過ごした。
I had a good time with a friend browsing the festival stalls.
Originally related to 冷やす (to cool), but the modern meanings have diverged.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Type: transitive (他動詞)
- Pattern: AがBを冷やかす (A teases B / A browses B)
ASPECT (ている):
- 冷やかしている = is teasing / is browsing (ongoing action)
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 人を冷やかす (to tease someone)
- 店を冷やかす (to browse a shop)
- 冷やかされる (to be teased — passive)
- 冷やかし半分に (half-jokingly)
USAGE NOTES:
The teasing sense (sense 1) is the more common usage today. The window-shopping sense (sense 2) is somewhat old-fashioned but still understood. The noun form 冷やかし refers to either the act of teasing or of browsing without buying.