明るい
akarui[a̠ka̠ɾɯ̟i]
The Japanese word akarui means bright or cheerful.
akarui is used to describe both physical environments and human personalities. When applied to a physical space, such as 明るい部屋 (a bright room), it refers to the amount of light present. When describing a person, such as 明るい人 (a cheerful person), it means they are bright, cheerful or optimistic. Note that while akarui describes brightness, the word Kirakira is used specifically to capture a sense of something being sparkling or shimmering.
How does it change in a sentence?
Additionally, you can change the final -i to -sa to turn the adjective into the noun 明るさ, which means 'brightness'.
How do you pronounce it?
akarui
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word akarui is often used to describe a voice, akarui koe, which suggests a tone that sounds optimistic or welcoming rather than just loud.
- In Japanese, describing a person as 明るい can sometimes be seen as a subtle critique of their lack of seriousness or depth, depending on the context of the conversation.
- The adjective 明るい belongs to a specific group of classical words called 'ku-adjectives' that have evolved into the modern 'i-adjectives' used in everyday Japanese.
Examples in context
- 彼女の笑顔は太陽のように明るかった。Her smile was as bright as the sun.
- この部屋はとても明るい。Kono heya wa totemo akarui.This room is very bright.
- 彼女は明るい性格ですね。Kanojo wa akarui seikaku desu ne.She has a cheerful personality, doesn't she?
- もっと明るい色を選びましょう。Motto akarui iro o erabimashou.Let's choose a brighter color.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new classmate in a cafe.
- 結衣 Yui新しいクラスメイトは、明るい人ですか？Atarashii kurasumeito wa, akarui hito desu ka?Is the new classmate a cheerful person?
- 健太 Kentaはい、とても明るいですよ。Hai, totemo akarui desu yo.Yes, he is very cheerful.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは安心しました。Sore wa anshin shimashita.That's a relief.
- 健太 Kentaみんなに好かれそうですね。Minna ni sukare sou desu ne.It sounds like everyone will like him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 明るい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 明るい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
