副詞 I

反発はんぱつを承知しょうちの上うえで、あえて苦言くげんを呈ていした。

Knowing it would be resented, I went ahead and offered blunt advice.

Usage あえて〜する — doing it though it is hard or unnecessary. あえて言えば, if I must say; あえて〜ない, deliberately refraining. A frequent N1 item.

Remember it 敢 (dare, as in 勇敢) → daring to, when you could have left it.

いかにも高級こうきゅうそうな店構みせがまえだ。

The shop front looks every bit the expensive place.

Usage いかにも〜そうだ, いかにも〜らしい — exactly as one would picture it. On its own it means 'quite so'. It pairs with そうだ, らしい, ようだ.

Remember it 如何 (how) + も → just how you would have imagined it.

基礎きそを固かためれば、結果けっかはおのずとついてくる。

Secure the foundations and the results will follow of themselves.

Usage おのずと〜する — naturally, without being forced. Also written 自ずと or 自ずから. The subject is not a person acting but a thing happening.

Remember it 自 (of itself) + と → it comes about of its own accord.

かねてより準備じゅんびを進すすめていた計画けいかくが、ようやく動うごき出だした。

A plan long in preparation has finally begun to move.

Usage かねてより, かねてから — for some time past. Formal written style. Common partners: 準備, 計画, 希望.

Remember it 兼ねる (combine, span) → spanning from before until now.

提案ていあんはことごとく却下きゃっかされた。

Every one of the proposals was rejected.

Usage ことごとく〜される — all of them, without exception. Usually with a bad outcome: 失敗する, 却下される. Also written 悉く.

Remember it 悉 (the whole lot, as in 悉皆) → down to the very last one.

彼かれはしきりに時計とけいを気きにしていた。

He kept glancing at his watch.

Usage しきりに〜する — over and over, or very insistently. しきりに勧める is to press an invitation. It covers both frequency and earnestness.

Remember it 頻 (repeatedly, as in 頻繁) → coming again and again.

合格ごうかくを目指めざして、ひたすら勉強べんきょうに打うち込こんだ。

Aiming to pass, he threw himself into study and nothing else.

Usage ひたすら〜する — single-mindedly, to the exclusion of all else. Also ひたすら謝る, apologising over and over.

Remember it 只管 → from the Zen 只管打坐, 'just sit': doing the one thing and nothing besides.

根拠こんきょもなく、むやみに不安ふあんを煽あおるべきではない。

One should not stir up anxiety recklessly and without grounds.

Usage むやみに〜する(な) — indiscriminately, without thinking. Nearly always in a warning or prohibition. むやみやたらに is more emphatic still.

Remember it 無 (without) + 闇 (darkness) → acting in the dark, unable to see where it lands.

この記事きじはやたらに専門せんもん用語ようごが多おおい。

This article has an inordinate number of technical terms.

Usage やたらに, やたらと — excessively, at random; more colloquial than むやみに. Irritated in tone. やたらに詳しい is suspiciously well informed.

Remember it 矢 (arrow) + 鱈 → loosing arrows without aiming at anything.

参加さんか者しゃの反応はんのうはおおむね好意こうい的てきだった。

Participants' reactions were generally favourable.

Usage おおむね〜だ — broadly, for the most part. Formal written style, common in reports. Also written 概ね. Close to 大体 but more formal.

Remember it 概 (in outline, as in 概略, 概要) → taking it in outline rather than in detail.

終電しゅうでんにかろうじて間まに合あった。

I caught the last train by a whisker.

Usage かろうじて〜する — only just managing. The stress is on how close it was. Also written 辛うじて. Close to やっと, but with the danger emphasised.

Remember it 辛 (hard, bitter) → it took hard going to get there at all.

さしあたり必要ひつような資料しりょうだけ用意よういしておこう。

For now, let us prepare only the material we actually need.

Usage さしあたり, さしあたって — for the present, leaving the long term aside. Also written 差し当たり. Close to 当面, ひとまず.

Remember it 差し当たる (what you run into) → whatever is directly in front of you.

しいて言いえば、価格かかくの点てんが気きになる。

If I must say something, it is the price that concerns me.

Usage しいて言えば — 'if pressed, I would say' — is all but fixed, used when there is little to criticise. しいて〜する is forcing yourself. Written 強いて.

Remember it 強いる (compel) → making yourself say or do it.

人ひとはとかく他人たにんの欠点けってんに目めが行いきがちだ。

People are apt to notice other people's faults.

Usage とかく〜がちだ / やすい — tending to, usually to something unwelcome. It also means 'in any case'. Partners: がち, やすい.

Remember it 兎角 → one thing and then another, as things generally go.

雨あめなら中止ちゅうしだ。まして台風たいふうならなおさらだ。

Rain means cancellation; a typhoon all the more so.

Usage なおさら〜だ — all the more. It pairs with まして and 〜ならなおさら, where the stronger condition makes the conclusion firmer.

Remember it 尚 (still more) + さら (further) → further still on top of that.

社員しゃいんの健康けんこう管理かんりは、ひいては企業きぎょうの生産せいさん性せい向上こうじょうにつながる。

Looking after employees' health leads, in the end, to higher productivity.

Usage ひいては〜 — and by extension, connecting a small thing to a larger one. The register of argumentative writing. Also written 延いては.

Remember it 延く (extend) → the effect drawn out further than where it started.

これはまさしく我々われわれが探さがし求もとめていたものだ。

This is precisely what we had been looking for.

Usage まさしく〜だ — exactly, without doubt. A touch more formal than まさに. It asserts an exact match.

Remember it 正 (correct) → correct to the letter, with no deviation.

休日きゅうじつはもっぱら読書どくしょに時間じかんを使つかっている。

I spend my days off entirely on reading.

Usage もっぱら〜だ — exclusively. Note the special use もっぱらの噂, the rumour going round everywhere — a frequent exam item. Written 専ら.

Remember it 専 (exclusive, as in 専門) → that one thing and nothing else.

天候てんこう不良ふりょうのため、やむを得えず中止ちゅうしとした。

Because of bad weather, we had no choice but to cancel.

Usage やむを得ず〜する — having no alternative. The adjective やむを得ない means unavoidable. Formal, common in announcements.

Remember it 止む (stop) + 得ず (cannot) → it could not be stopped, so it had to be done.

事情じじょうを考慮こうりょせず一律いちりつに扱あつかうのは公平こうへいとは言いえない。

Treating everyone alike without regard to circumstances can hardly be called fair.

Usage 一律に〜する — uniformly, across the board. Usually critical, because it ignores individual difference. 一律五パーセント is a flat five per cent.

Remember it 一 (one) + 律 (rule) → one rule laid across everyone.

新しん技術ぎじゅつの導入どうにゅうで生産せいさん性せいが一挙いっきょに高たかまった。

Introducing the new technology raised productivity at a stroke.

Usage 一挙に〜する — all at once rather than in stages. Also 一挙両得, two birds with one stone. Close to 一気に but more formal.

Remember it 一 (one) + 挙 (lift) → done in a single lift.

原材料げんざいりょう費ひの高騰こうとうで、各社かくしゃ軒並のきなみ値上ねあげに踏ふみ切きった。

With raw material costs soaring, every firm went ahead and raised prices.

Usage 軒並み〜する — across the board, every one of them. From a row of eaves along a street. Common in economic reporting.

Remember it 軒 (eaves) + 並み (in a row) → every house down the street, the same.

不安ふあんな時ときこそ、努つとめて冷静れいせいに振ふる舞まうようにしている。

It is precisely when I am anxious that I try to behave calmly.

Usage 努めて〜する — making a deliberate effort, usually to maintain an attitude. Partners: 冷静に, 明るく, 客観的に.

Remember it 努める (strive) → doing it by an effort of will.

ご迷惑めいわくをおかけしないよう極力きょくりょく努つとめます。

I shall do my utmost not to inconvenience you.

Usage 極力〜する — as far as one possibly can. Formal, common in business letters and undertakings. Stronger than できるだけ.

Remember it 極 (utmost) + 力 (strength) → to the last of your strength.

そのような不正ふせいは断だんじて許ゆるされない。

Wrongdoing of that kind is absolutely not to be tolerated.

Usage 断じて〜ない — absolutely not. It goes almost always with a negative. Hard and uncompromising in tone, stronger than 決して.

Remember it 断 (cut off) → the matter cut off, with no discussion.

この予算よさんでは到底とうてい実現じつげんできない。

On this budget it simply cannot be done.

Usage 到底〜ない — not by any means. It ALWAYS takes a negative, which is exactly what the exam tests.

Remember it 到 (reach) + 底 (the bottom) → even going to the bottom you would not get there.

てっきり中止ちゅうしになったものと思おもい込こんでいた。

I had been quite sure it was cancelled.

Usage てっきり〜と思った — taking something for granted, and being wrong. It is ALWAYS a mistaken assumption. Partners: 思った, 思い込んでいた.

Remember it てっきり → the certainty you held right up until you were shown otherwise.

そうなるだろうと、うすうす感かんじてはいた。

I had dimly felt that this was how it would turn out.

Usage うすうす気づく, うすうす感じる — half aware, not yet certain. It goes only with verbs of perception: 気づく, 感じる, 知る.

Remember it 薄 (thin) doubled → the awareness there, but thin.

お体からだにはくれぐれもお気きをつけください。

Do please take good care of yourself.

Usage くれぐれも〜ください — an earnest, repeated request. Used only with requests and injunctions, and very common at the end of a letter.

Remember it 呉々 (again and again) → saying it once, and then saying it again.

問題もんだいはひとまず解決かいけつしたが、根本こんぽん原因げんいんは残のこっている。

The problem is settled for now, but the root cause remains.

Usage ひとまず〜する — for the time being, the first stage done. It implies the matter is not finished. Close to さしあたり, 一応.

Remember it 一 (one) + 先ず (first) → the first step out of the way.

朝晩あさばんはめっきり涼すずしくなった。

Mornings and evenings have grown noticeably cooler.

Usage めっきり〜なる — changing markedly, usually of weather, health or age. It goes with verbs of change: なる, 増える, 減る.

Remember it めっきり → a change big enough to see at a glance.

準備じゅんびもろくにせずに本番ほんばんに臨のぞんだ。

He went into it without even preparing properly.

Usage ろくに〜ない — not properly, not even. It ALWAYS takes a negative. ろくな〜ない means there is not a decent one among them.

Remember it 碌に → nothing done to any decent standard.

準備じゅんび不足ぶそくのまま臨のぞんだ結果けっか、案あんの定じょう失敗しっぱいした。

Going in underprepared, he failed, just as expected.

Usage 案の定〜した — sure enough, and usually the bad outcome you had foreseen. The mirror image of てっきり, where the guess was wrong.

Remember it 案 (reckoning) + 定 (settled) → it fell out just as you had reckoned.

対策たいさくを講こうじたが、状況じょうきょうは依然いぜんとして厳きびしい。

Measures were taken, but the situation is still severe.

Usage 依然として〜だ — still, unchanged. Written and journalistic. It implies that effort has been made without effect.

Remember it 依 (as before) + 然 (so) → still just as it was.

折おり入いってお願ねがいしたいことがございます。

There is something I should like to ask of you particularly.

Usage 折り入って〜お願いがある — a serious request made privately. Very formal, and a signal that what follows matters.

Remember it 折る (bend) + 入る (come in) → bending low as you come to ask.

お噂うわさはかねがね伺うかがっております。

I have heard a great deal about you.

Usage かねがね聞いている, かねがね伺っております — a polite formula on first meeting someone. Close to かねて, slightly warmer.

Remember it 兼ねて doubled → from a long way back, and more than once.

この種しゅの誤解ごかいはしばしば見みられる。

Misunderstandings of this sort are frequently seen.

Usage しばしば〜する — frequently. Formal written style, standing in for よく in academic prose. Also written 屡々.

Remember it 屡 (repeatedly) doubled → time and again.

同おなじ質問しつもんでも回答かいとうはまちまちだった。

Even to the same question, the answers were all different.

Usage まちまちだ — varied, inconsistent. It behaves as a な-adjective. 意見がまちまち means opinions are all over the place. Also written 区々.

Remember it 区 (district) doubled → each in its own compartment, none like the next.