N1 Appearance, Manner, and Resemblance

~たらしい / ~ったらしい: meaning, usage and examples

~たらしい / ~ったらしい means: (disparaging suffix) -looking / -acting.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 長ながったらしい説明せつめいはやめてください。

   Please stop the long-winded explanations.

2. そんな嫌味いやみったらしい言いい方かたはやめなさい。

   Stop talking in such a snide way.

3. いつまでも未練みれんたらしいことを言いっていないで、前まえに進すすもう。

   Stop dwelling on the past and let's move forward.

4. そんな貧乏びんぼうったらしい格好かっこうで面接めんせつに行いくわけにはいかない。

   I can't go to a job interview looking that shabby.

When to use it

A suffix that adds a feeling of dislike: "annoyingly", "irritatingly". It appears in fixed words: 長ながったらしい (long-winded), 嫌味いやみったらしい (sarcastic, snide), 未練みれんたらしい (clinging, unable to let go), 貧乏びんぼうったらしい (shabby-looking), 憎にくったらしい (hateful). It describes speech, behavior or appearance the speaker finds unpleasant.

Nuance

Casual and strongly negative, used in conversation and informal writing to criticize. It is not productive: attach it only to the fixed words. Using these words about a listener is rude. The meaning is not "seems to" like らしい; it is pure dislike.

Compare

らしい means "seems" or "typical of": 春はるらしい天気てんき (spring-like weather). たらしい / ったらしい is a different suffix expressing dislike: 長ながったらしい話はなし (an annoyingly long talk). Compare がましい, also negative, about pushy attitude: 恩おん着きせがましい. ったらしい is more casual and emotional.

Tip: Do not read 長ながったらしい as "seems long". The ったらしい words always complain; 長ながい is neutral, 長ながったらしい is annoyed.