洒落

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See also: 灑落

Chinese

For pronunciation and definitions of – see 灑落 (“to trickle; to drip; confident and at ease; natural and elegant”).
(This term is the simplified form of 灑落).
Notes:

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
しゃ
Hyōgai
らく > れ
Grade: 3
goon irregular

Derived as the (れん)(よう)(けい) (ren'yōkei, stem or continuative form) of the verb (しゃ)() (shareru, to be witty; to be stylish or dapper). The spelling is an example of phonetic ateji (当て字), ultimately from Chinese 灑落洒落 (sǎluò, confident and at ease; natural and elegant).[1]

First cited to the late 1600s.[1]

Pronunciation

Noun

(しゃ)() or 洒落(シャレ) (share

  1. wittiness, refinement, stylishness, easygoing-ness
    Synonym: 洒脱 (shadatsu)
  2. stylish and fashionable dress, good style in one's clothing
    Synonym: おしゃれ (oshare)
  3. (historical) short for 洒落女 (share onna): a type of prostitute during the Edo period
    Synonym: (literally “fancy woman) 洒落女 (share onna)
  4. a witticism, a bon mot, a joke
    Synonyms: (“witticism”) 警句 (keiku), (“joke”) 冗談 (jōdan), (pun) 駄洒落 (dajare)
  5. playing around in a red-light district
  6. playing around in general, jesting, joshing
    Synonym: 戯れる (tawamureru)
  7. something attractive, cool, interesting (compare English shiny)
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
しゃ
Hyōgai
らく > ら
Grade: 3
goon irregular

Appears to be a shift from sharaku.

First cited in the 1620s.[1]

This reading appears to be archaic, possibly obsolete.

Pronunciation

Adjective

(しゃ)() (shara-na (adnominal (しゃ)() (shara na), adverbial (しゃ)() (shara ni))

  1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) cheeky, impudent, impertinent, saucy, pretentious, haughty
    Synonyms: 洒落臭い (sharakusai), 生意気 (nama-iki)
  2. (archaic, possibly obsolete) stylish, trendy, fashionable
    Synonym: (iki)

Noun

(しゃ)() (shara

  1. (historical, archaic, possibly obsolete) a type of prostitute during the Edo period
    Synonym: (literally “fancy woman) 洒落女 (share onna)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
しゃ
Hyōgai
らく
Grade: 3
goon

Ultimately from Middle Chinese 灑落 (MC sraeX lak, “confident and at ease; natural and elegant”).

First cited to 1520.[1] Given the dates of first appearance, sharaku may have been the original reading. An 1876 dictionary of word readings lists sharaku as an alternative for share.[1]

Pronunciation

Adjective

(しゃ)(らく) (sharaku-na (adnominal (しゃ)(らく) (sharaku na), adverbial (しゃ)(らく) (sharaku ni))

  1. carefree, easygoing
    Synonym: 洒脱 (shadatsu)

Noun

(しゃ)(らく) (sharaku

  1. (archaic, possibly obsolete) wittiness, refinement, stylishness, easygoing-ness (see the share reading)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN