Word
結構
Meaning in Englishenough, fine, quite
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
結構 means 'That's fine' or 'That's enough' and can also mean 'quite' or 'fairly' depending on context; it functions as a sentence-ending response or as an adverb modifying adjectives.
Main meanings
- polite decline or approval meaning 'That's fine' or 'No, thank you' in phrases like 結構です
- degree modifier meaning 'quite; fairly; considerably' before adjectives (けっこう高い, けっこう難しい)
- positive assessment meaning 'splendid; excellent' in 結構な + noun or in phrases like 結構だ
How to use it
Used across formal and casual speech. In everyday conversation it often means 'That’s fine' or 'I’ll pass' when declining offers, while as an adverb it intensifies adjectives to mean 'quite' or 'fairly'; as 結構な it can express positive appraisal about a thing or situation.
Variants and close terms
- かなり (kanari) — quite
- 相当 (soutō) — fairly, considerably
- 十分 (jūbun) — enough
Composition
- 結: to tie, connect; imply bringing things together
- 構: structure, arrangement; imply form or organization
- Together they convey a sense of a well-formed state, which in usage evolves into meanings like adequacy or appropriateness
Etymology
結 to tie, bind; 構 structure, arrangement; the けっこう reading arises as a native kun'yomi compound, and the sense shifts from physical coherence to adequacy or acceptability in modern usage.
Word class
adverb; na-adjective (形容動詞)
Related words by kanji and components
N1
結び
musubi
ending, conclusion, union
N1
結び付き
musubitsuki
connection, relation
N1
結び付く
musubitsuku
to be connected or related, to join together
N1
結び付ける
musubitsukeru
to combine, to join, to tie on, to attach with a knot
N2
構いません
kamaimasen
it's all right; one doesn’t mind
N2
構造
kouzou
structure, construction
N3
結果
kekka
result, consequence, outcome
N3
結局
kekkyoku
after all, eventually, in the end
N3
結論
ketsuron
conclusion, final decision