チャラい (charai)
cha-RAIadjectiveInformal
A Japanese slang term. Browse all Japanese slang.
What it means
Flashy and insubstantial; a bit of a player. Of a man whose clothes, patter and dating history all suggest he should not be relied upon.
Examples with translations
見た目はチャラいけど、実はいい人。
He looks like a total player, but he's actually sound.
あんなチャラ男やめときなよ。
Steer clear of a lad like that.
Where it comes from
From チャラチャラ, an onomatopoeia for jangling trinkets — the sound of someone wearing too much jewellery, applied to the character behind it.
Other forms
- Romanised as:
- charai
- Spellings and variants:
- チャラ男