What’s the Difference Between “Shaki Shaki” and “Pari Pari” in Japanese?

Have you ever bitten into a fresh lettuce leaf and heard a satisfying crunch?

Or snapped a crispy rice cracker and enjoyed the sharp crackling sound?

In Japanese, these two crunchy textures are often described with:

Shaki Shaki (しゃきしゃき)

あわせて読みたい

What Is “Shaki Shaki”? The Japanese Sound of Crispness and Lively Action Ever bitten into a fresh apple, the crunch echoing in your ears?Or seen someone move swiftly, without hesitation, full of energy?That’s when the Japanese ono…

Pari Pari (ぱりぱり)

Both describe crunchy textures, but one comes from freshness while the other comes from dry crispiness.

あわせて読みたい

What Is “Pari Pari”? The Japanese Sound of Light, Crisp Crunching Ever bitten into a perfectly baked senbei (rice cracker) and heard that satisfying crrrunch?Or opened a fresh bag of potato chips and taken that first crispy…

Take a glimpse into the world of Puni Puni Dictionary...

Differences Between “Shaki Shaki” and “Pari Pari”

In short:

• Shaki shaki → crunchy because it’s fresh
• Pari pari → crunchy because it’s dry and crispy

Examples in Daily Life

Example 1: Fresh lettuce (Shaki Shaki)

The salad was freshly prepared with crisp vegetables —

shaki shaki…

Example 2: Crispy rice cracker (Pari Pari)

She broke the thin rice cracker into pieces —

pari pari!

Try Using Them!

Fresh vegetables with a crisp bite?
→ Say shaki shaki

Rice crackers, seaweed, or thin crispy food?
→ Say pari pari

Both are crunchy.

But shaki shaki comes from freshness and moisture, while pari pari comes from dryness and crispness.

Two crunchy sounds — but two very different kinds of crunch!

Explore More: Comparison Series