Word
中々
Meaning in Englishquite, considerably, not easily
Animated kanji stroke order
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)
Related words by kanji and components
N2
中年
chuunen
middle-aged
N2
中指
nakayubi
middle finger
N2
話中
hanashichuu
while talking, the line is busy
N3
集中
shuuchuu
concentration, focus, centralization
N3
最中
saichuu
in the middle of, during
N3
夢中
muchuu
absorbed, crazy about, engrossed
N3
夜中
yonaka
midnight, middle of the night
N3
世の中
yo no naka
society, the world, social life
N3
中央
chuuou
center, middle, central area