Meaning & usage
やらやら lists two or more things or reasons, often with a nuance of being overwhelmed or unsure. It attaches to nouns (疲れやら空腹やら) or to plain-form phrases repeated with やら (怒っていいのやら笑っていいのやら), typically followed by で when giving causes.
Example sentences 8
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怒っていいのやら笑っていいのやら、分からなかったよ。
I didn't know whether to get angry or to laugh.
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過労やら不眠やらで、彼はとうとう病気になってしまった。
What with fatigue and lack of sleep, he has fallen ill at last.
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疲れやら空腹やらで、彼は死んだように倒れた。
What with fatigue and hunger, he fell down as if he were dead.
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仕事やら私的な問題やらで、私はとても忙しい。
What with my business and private affairs, I am so busy.
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空腹やら疲労やらで、その犬はとうとう死んだ。
With hunger and fatigue, the dog died at last.
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風やら雨やらで、その試合はさんざんだった。
What with the wind and the rain, the game was spoiled.
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幸運やら彼自身の努力やらのおかげで、彼はコンテストで優勝した。
What with good fortune, and his own effort, he won the first prize in the contest.
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教えることやら研究やらで自分の時間がない。
With teaching and studying, my time is taken up.