洒落

See also: 灑落

Chinese

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

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

Japanese

Etymology 1

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

Derived as the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 洒(しゃ)落(れ)る (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

• (Tokyo) しゃれ [shàré] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɕa̠ɾe̞]

Noun

洒(しゃ)落(れ) or 洒落(シャレ) • (share) 

1. [1680] wittiness, refinement, stylishness, easygoing-ness

   Synonym: 洒脱 (shadatsu)

2. [1706] stylish and fashionable dress, good style in one's clothing

   Synonym: おしゃれ (oshare)

3. [1711] (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. [1770] a witticism, a bon mot, a joke

   Synonyms: (“witticism”) 警句 (keiku), (“joke”) 冗談 (jōdan), (“pun”) 駄洒落 (dajare)

5. [1782] playing around in a red-light district
6. [1813] playing around in general, jesting, joshing

   Synonym: 戯れる (tawamureru)

7. [1887] something attractive, cool, interesting (compare English shiny)

Derived terms

• お洒(しゃ)落(れ) (oshare)
• 駄(だ)洒(じゃ)落(れ) (dajare)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
洒	落
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

• IPA^(key): [ɕa̠ɾa̠]

Adjective

洒(しゃ)落(ら) • (shara) -na (adnominal 洒(しゃ)落(ら)な (shara na), adverbial 洒(しゃ)落(ら)に (shara ni))

1. [1621] (archaic, possibly obsolete) cheeky, impudent, impertinent, saucy, pretentious, haughty

   Synonyms: 洒落臭い (sharakusai), 生意気 (nama-iki)

2. [1642] (archaic, possibly obsolete) stylish, trendy, fashionable

   Synonym: 粋 (iki)

Noun

洒(しゃ)落(ら) • (shara) 

1. [1682] (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
洒	落
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

• (Tokyo) しゃらく [shàrákú] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɕa̠ɾa̠kɯ̟]

Adjective

洒(しゃ)落(らく) • (sharaku) -na (adnominal 洒(しゃ)落(らく)な (sharaku na), adverbial 洒(しゃ)落(らく)に (sharaku ni))

1. [1520] carefree, easygoing

   Synonym: 洒脱 (shadatsu)

Noun

洒(しゃ)落(らく) • (sharaku) 

1. [1876] (archaic, possibly obsolete) wittiness, refinement, stylishness, easygoing-ness (see the share reading)

References

1. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
2. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN