1.
light; nimble; buoyant; airy
Having a quality of lightness in movement, sound, or feeling. Suggests gracefulness, ease, and a pleasant lack of heaviness. More poetic and expressive than the plain adjective 軽い.
軽やかな足取りで歩く。
To walk with a light step.
ピアノの軽やかな旋律が部屋に響いた。
A light piano melody echoed through the room.
春風に乗って、蝶が軽やかに舞っていた。
Riding the spring breeze, butterflies danced lightly.
軽やか is a na-adjective derived from 軽い (light) with the suffix ～やか, which adds a sense of elegance and aesthetic quality. It is more literary and evocative than 軽い.
The ～やか suffix creates na-adjectives that express a graceful or pleasing quality: 穏やか (calm), 華やか (gorgeous), 爽やか (refreshing).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 軽やかな足取り (light footsteps)
- 軽やかな音楽 (light, airy music)
- 軽やかに踊る (to dance lightly)
- 軽やかな気持ち (a light, buoyant feeling)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 軽い: light (plain adjective, broader usage including weight)
- 身軽: light on one's feet, unencumbered (focuses on physical freedom)
- しなやか: supple, flexible (emphasizes flexibility rather than lightness)