ちらりと

adverb, onomatopoeia

briefly; at a glance; fleetingly

1. briefly, at a glance, for a moment

Looking at something quickly and briefly, or something appearing momentarily and then disappearing. Describes a quick, fleeting action, especially of the eyes.

時計(とけい)をちらりと見(み)た。

I glanced briefly at the clock.

彼女(かのじょ)はちらりとこちらを見(み)て、すぐに目(め)をそらした。

She glanced over here for a moment and immediately looked away.

窓(まど)の外(そと)にちらりと白(しろ)い影(かげ)が見(み)えたが、すぐに消(き)えてしまった。

I caught a brief glimpse of a white shadow outside the window, but it vanished immediately.

An onomatopoeic/mimetic adverb from the base ちらり, with the particle と. Describes a quick, momentary glance or a fleeting appearance. The reduplication ちらちら indicates repeated or continuous flickering/glancing, while ちらりと emphasizes a single brief instance.

Usage

Most commonly paired with 見(み)る (to look) or 見(み)える (to be visible). Can also describe something briefly appearing or being noticed.

Common collocations

ちらりと見(み)る: to glance at
ちらりと見(み)える: to catch a glimpse of
ちらりと目(め)をやる: to dart one's eyes toward
ちらりと覗(のぞ)く: to peek briefly

Similar words

ちらっと: briefly, at a glance — very similar, slightly more casual
じろじろ: staringly — the opposite: looking at someone persistently and rudely
ちらちら: flickering, intermittently — repeated or continuous glancing/flickering

Related Words

Antonym: じろじろ (staringly)

Compare: ちらちら (flickering, intermittently)

general

Added 2026.4.2 12:26 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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