use YAPE::Regex::Explain; print YAPE::Regex::Explain->new( qr/AAA\w+?AAA/ )->explain; __END__ The regular expression: (?-imsx:AAA\w+?AAA) matches as follows: NODE EXPLANATION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (?-imsx: group, but do not capture (case-sensitive) (with ^ and $ matching normally) (with . not matching \n) (matching whitespace and # normally): ---------------------------------------------------------------------- AAA 'AAA' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- \w+? word characters (a-z, A-Z, 0-9, _) (1 or more times (matching the least amount possible)) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- AAA 'AAA' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ) end of grouping ----------------------------------------------------------------------