Word
中々
Meaning in Englishquite, considerably, not easily
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Word context
What it means
What does 中々 mean? It is an adverb meaning 'quite, fairly' in affirmative contexts and 'not easily' in negative constructions, signaling a notable degree or effort without relying on literal kanji sense.
Main meanings
- Affirmative degree: quite, fairly, substantially
- Negative nuance: not easily, hard to do; implies it takes time or effort
- Colloquial emphasis: adds a strong, nuanced tone to statements
How to use it
Used across formal and casual speech; primarily before adjectives or verbs; with negative forms like ない or ません; patterns: なかなか + i-adjective; なかなか + verb; conveys emphasis on degree or effort rather than a simple truth.
Variants and close terms
- かなり (kanari) — quite, considerably
- 結構 (kekkou) — fairly, quite
- 相当 (soutou) — substantially
Composition
- 中 = middle, inside
- 々 = iteration mark; repeats the preceding kanji
Etymology
中 (middle) + 々 (iteration mark) forms a repetition-based construction; the combination yields a lexicalized adverb with broad emphasis, not a literal 'middle middle' meaning.
Word class
adverb (副詞)
Word
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Kanji