What does "pera pera" mean?

Question of the Week Vol. 16

by Namiko Abe
Namiko Abe is a Japanese language teacher and translator, as well as a Japanese calligraphy expert. She has been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years.
Updated January 30, 2019

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"Pera pera （ぺらぺら）" is a (words mimicking states). They directly express states or actions of people and things. There are a few meanings for "pera pera" depending on the context. 


(1) Talk fluently

Kare wa nihongo ga pera pera desu.
彼は日本語がぺらぺらです。  

He speaks Japanese fluently.

(2) Talkativeness in a negative sense or to chatter.

Hiroshi wa himitsu o pera pera hanashite shimaimashita.  
博は秘密をぺらぺら話しました。

Hiroshi was so talkative that he told the secret.

(3) Thin, flimsy

Kono shatsu wa pera pera da.     
このシャツはぺらぺらだ。

This shirt is flimsy.