流麗|りゅうれいryuurei[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjective, nounfluent; flowing; elegant
   どこからかハープの流麗りゅうれいな調しらべが聞きこえてきた。↗

   They could hear the elegant, flowing sound of a harp coming from somewhere.

• Synonym流暢りゅうちょうNeutralFocuses on speaking fluently and smoothly, especially a foreign language, as in 「流暢な英語」; 「流麗」 praises the flowing beauty of poetry, prose and music.
• Related円滑えんかつWrittenWritten. Describes things proceeding smoothly without obstruction, as in 「円滑に進む」; no sense of beauty. 「流麗」 praises the beauty of poetry and music.
• RelatedスムーズNeutralA loanword common in speech, for smooth progress or unimpeded movement; it lacks the literary elegance that 「流麗」 conveys.
• Related見事みごとNeutralPraises something as splendid or admirable, whatever the object, and can also mean utter or complete; not tied to flowing beauty of verse or music.
• Related優雅ゆうがNeutralCenters on graceful, refined bearing or lifestyle; 「優雅な文章」 is possible, but unlike 「流麗」 it does not stress flowing phrasing or melody.
• RelatedしなやかNeutralHighlights suppleness and elastic, graceful movement; 「しなやかな筆致」 works, but 「流麗」 puts more weight on flowing elegance.
• Related瀟洒しょうしゃWrittenWritten. Suggests sleek, refined, chic style, mostly for buildings and attire rather than writing; 「流麗」 praises phrasing and melody.
• Related滑らかなめらかNeutralCovers smooth surfaces and smooth progress, and fluent speech too, but carries no sense of beauty; 「流麗」 is above all about elegance.
• Related心憎いこころにくいWrittenWritten. Admires ingenious, masterly touches of design or staging, as in 「心憎い演出」; flowing beauty is not the focus.
• Related上品じょうひんNeutralRefers to refined, high-class character in people and things, and can mean fine quality; not specific to flowing language or music.
• RelatedエレガントNeutralA loanword common in speech, for elegant dress, manners and lifestyles; more casual than 「流麗」 and with no sense of flow.
• Related美しいうつくしいNeutralThe everyday word for beautiful, with the broadest range; 「流麗」 is the narrower term for flowing beauty in verse, music and lines.
• Related優美ゆうびWrittenWritten. Describes graceful, refined posture and movement; close to 「流麗」 in feel, but it does not stress smooth, unbroken flow.
• RelatedきれいNeutralColloquial and the most everyday choice, for pretty or clean things; you can say handwriting is 「綺麗」, but it is less literary than 「流麗」.
• Related奥ゆかしいおくゆかしいWrittenWritten. Describes modest, understated refinement of character, or expression that is subtle and tasteful; it does not stress the fluency of 「流麗」.
• Related端麗たんれいWrittenWritten. Concerns neat, well-formed looks, mostly of a person's face or figure, as in 「容姿端麗」; 「流麗」 is about phrasing and melody flowing like water.
• Related麗しいうるわしいWrittenWritten. A literary word for beauty in general, of the heart or of pleasing looks; it does not stress the flowing beauty of 「流麗」.
• Related雅びたみやびたWrittenRare, literary. Suggests courtly, quiet elegance with a classical, aristocratic air that 「流麗」 lacks; fluency is not the point.
• RelatedゆかしいWrittenWritten. Marks quiet, dignified refinement, and can also mean evocative or nostalgic; mostly for people and scenery, without the fluency sense of 「流麗」.
• Related典雅てんがWrittenRare, literary. Denotes dignified, classical elegance and can describe prose or music; 「流麗」 stresses the smooth flow of phrasing and melody.
• Related風雅ふうがWrittenWritten. Points to refined, artistic taste and a love of poetry, or elegant pursuits; it says nothing about flowing lines or phrasing.
• Related雅みやびWrittenWritten. Evokes court-style elegance, mostly for people, dress and settings; 「流麗」 speaks of flowing beauty in poetry and music.
• Antonym拙劣せつれつWrittenWritten. Antonym: clumsy, poor writing or skill, the opposite of the flowing elegance of 「流麗」.
• Antonym稚拙ちせつWrittenWritten. Antonym: childish, unpolished prose or calligraphy; stands against the mature flow of 「流麗」.
• Antonym粗雑そざつWrittenWritten. Antonym: rough and careless workmanship, often said of writing or craftsmanship; the opposite of the refined flow of 「流麗」.

Use 「流麗」 when prose, calligraphy or melody is beautiful the way flowing water is, as in 「流麗な文体」「流麗な筆致」. For fluent speech in a foreign language pick 「流暢」; for graceful bearing or lifestyle pick 「優雅」. Most of the others name a different kind of beauty — looks (「端麗」), courtly refinement (「雅」「典雅」), chic style (「瀟洒」) — while 「滑らか」「スムーズ」 and 「円滑」 are about smoothness without elegance. The antonyms 「拙劣」「稚拙」「粗雑」 mark clumsy or crude work.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 詩文しぶんの語句ごくや音楽おんがくの調子ちょうしが流ながれるように美うつくしいこと。