Word
独り言
Meaning in Englisha soliloquy, a monologue, speaking to oneself
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
独り言 means a spoken expression of one's thoughts, typically when alone. It refers to muttering or voicing private musings aloud rather than addressing others, and is used to describe everyday behavior with a neutral, humorous, or critical nuance.
Main meanings
- A soliloquy or self-directed speech spoken aloud, usually when alone
- A muttering or casual voicing of private thoughts without intending an audience
- In literature or media, a device to reveal a character's internal thoughts
- In everyday speech, a habit of talking to oneself rather than responding to others
How to use it
Used as a noun to denote muttering or speaking to oneself; typically casual or neutral in tone; common in everyday conversation, in commentary, or in writing to show a character's private thoughts.
Variants and close terms
- 独白 (dokuhaku) — monologue, often literary
- つぶやき (tsubuyaki) — muttering or mumbling; casual
- 無言 (mugon) — silence, lack of speech
- 内心の独り言 (naishin no hitorigoto) — inner monologue
Composition
- 独 meaning alone; り is an okurigana turning the kanji into the noun/adjectival form; 言 meaning speech or words. Together they form a noun describing speech by oneself
Etymology
独り + 言 ; the first element means alone, the second means speech. The compound describes speech produced by oneself rather than others.
Word class
Noun (名詞)