ほろり
Japanese
editEtymology
editAppears to be root ほろ (horo, “little bit; drip, drop”) + adverb-forming り (ri), in turn likely from あり (ari, “to be”), the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”), and also the classical form, of modern verb ある (aru, “is, are”).
Cognate with the ほろ (horo) root in terms like 滅びる (horobiru, “to die; to die out, to become extinct; to fall apart, to collapse”), ほろほろ (horohoro, “spreadingly, spillingly; messily, all over the place”, adverb).[1] Probably connected with the little bit meaning of ほろ (horo), from the sense of something falling into smaller pieces. Probably also cognate with ぼろ (boro, “shabby, tattered, ragged; rags”); ぼろぼろ (boroboro, “shabby, ragged, tattered; in drops, drippingly, tearingly”); ぽろり (porori), ぽろぽろ (poroporo, “drippingly, tearingly”, implying bigger tears or drops than boroboro).
First cited to 1430.[2]
Pronunciation
edit- (Tokyo) ほろり [hòróꜜrì] (Nakadaka – [2])[3]
- (Tokyo) ほろり [hòróríꜜ] (Odaka – [3])[3]
- IPA(key): [ho̞ɾo̞ɾʲi]
Adverb
edit- [from 1477] evocative of something light or fragile falling gently in a wafting or fluttering fashion
- 葉っぱがほろりと落ちた
- happa ga horori to ochita
- a leaf fell gently
- 葉っぱがほろりと落ちた
- [from 1563] evocative of a single tear falling from one's eyes
- お別れの手紙を読みながら涙がほろりとこぼれた。
- Owakare no tegami o yominagara namida ga horori to koboreta.
- A single tear spilled from her eye as she read the breakup letter.
- お別れの手紙を読みながら涙がほろりとこぼれた。
- [from 1430] evocative of moving one's body gently or stepping lightly
- ほろりと踏む
- horori to fumu
- to tread lightly
- ほろりと踏む
- [from 1603] evocative of one's emotions being affected in a sentimental fashion: movingly, touchingly
- あの話は読み返すと何だかほろりと来てしまいます。
- Ano hanashi wa yomikaesu to nan da ka horori to kite shimaimasu.
- Re-reading that story, I get a little sentimental.
- あの話は読み返すと何だかほろりと来てしまいます。
- from the way that a feeling of intoxication can creep up on one, or from how a tipsy person moves: in a slightly drunk or buzzed fashion, tipsily
- ほろりと酔っている
- horori to yotte iru
- slightly drunk
- ほろりと酔っている
- so soft or tender that something falls apart
- ほろりと柔らかい肉
- horori to yawarakai niku
- melt-in-your-mouth meat / meat so tender it falls off the bone
- ほろりと柔らかい肉
Usage notes
editUsually followed by the adverbial particle と (to). Used in conjunction with the verb する (suru, “to do”) to modify a noun as a preceding adjectival phrase, or as a predicate:
- ほろりとさせる映画を見て、彼はほろりとした
- horori to saseru eiga o mite, kare wa horori to shita
- watching the touching movie, he was moved
Occasionally found as a bare adverb with no particle.
- ほろり酔う、涙がほろり零れる
- horori you, namida ga horori koboreru
- to get slightly drunk, a single tear falls
Note that this term often does not translate directly into English: it might become an adjective in translation, or it might vanish altogether with the meaning conveyed by other terms or constructions.
Derived terms
edit- ほろっと (horotto)
Related terms
editReferences
edit- ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- ^ “ほろり”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten][1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN