副詞 IV

あくせく働はたらくだけの人生じんせいは嫌いやだ。

I do not want a life of nothing but toil.

Usage Used directly with a verb, or with と. Slaving away for a living. Faintly pitying. Also written 齷齪.

Remember it あくせく → working at a pace that leaves no room to look up.

実力じつりょくをいかんなく発揮はっきした。

He displayed his abilities to the full.

Usage いかんなく発揮する — to the utmost, with nothing left unused; it goes almost always with 発揮する. Also written 遺憾なく. 遺憾 is a regret left over.

Remember it 遺憾 (a regret left over) + なく → nothing left over to regret.

いざとなれば助たすけを呼よべばいい。

If it comes to it, we can always call for help.

Usage いざとなれば〜 — when it really comes to the point. Used to reassure that there is a fallback. Related: いざという時.

Remember it いざ (the crunch) + となれば → if it ever comes to that.

味あじはいまいちだった。

The taste was not quite there.

Usage いまいちだ — falling a little short. Colloquial, and a polite way of criticising gently. Also いまひとつ, which is more formal.

Remember it 今 (now) + 一 (one) → one step short of where it needed to be.

うかつに口くちを出だすべきではない。

One should not interject carelessly.

Usage うかつに〜べきではない / ない — do not do it thoughtlessly. The adverbial form of 迂闊, and almost always part of a warning.

Remember it 迂 (roundabout) + 闊 (loose) → with the mind wandering somewhere else.

前半ぜんはんとはうって変かわった展開てんかいになった。

The second half developed quite unlike the first.

Usage It survives almost only in うって変わる / うって変わって, changing completely. It is barely used alone. Also written 打って.

Remember it 打つ (strike) → struck into an altogether different shape.

詳くわしくはおいおい説明せつめいしていきます。

I shall explain the details as we go along.

Usage おいおい〜する — gradually, in due course. Also written 追い追い. Do not confuse the colloquial exclamation おいおい, 'hey now'.

Remember it 追う (follow) doubled → one thing following another as time goes on.

おのおの意見いけんを持もち寄よった。

Each brought an opinion to the table.

Usage おのおの — each, respectively. Also written 各々. Written register, more formal than めいめい or それぞれ.

Remember it 各 (each) doubled → each one taken separately.

かねてから気きになっていた店みせだ。

It is a shop I have been curious about for some time.

Usage かねてから〜ていた — from before until now. It always describes something continuing from the past into the present. Also かねてより. Written.

Remember it 兼ねて (spanning) + から → running from back then up to here.

きたる十日とおかに開催かいさいいたします。

It will be held on the tenth.

Usage きたる〜日 — the coming such-and-such. Used only before a date, in notices and invitations. Its opposite is 去る, meaning the date just past.

Remember it 来る (come) → the day that is coming, as against the one that has gone.

くしくも同おなじ日ひに生うまれていた。

Strangely enough, they had been born on the same day.

Usage くしくも — by a curious coincidence. Also written 奇しくも. Read くしくも, not きしくも. Written register.

Remember it 奇 (strange) + くも → oddly enough, as it turns out.

けだし名言めいげんである。

It is indeed a fine saying.

Usage けだし〜である — indeed, or probably. Archaic written style, found in commentary and essays. Also written 蓋し.

Remember it 蓋 (presumably) → on consideration, one would say so.

ことによると中止ちゅうしになるかもしれない。

It may possibly be cancelled.

Usage ことによると〜かもしれない — possibly. It always ends in かもしれない. Close to ひょっとすると but more formal.

Remember it 事 (the matter) + によると → depending on how the matter goes.

さも当然とうぜんのように受うけ取とった。

He took it as if it were only to be expected.

Usage さも〜のように / そうに — as though, putting on an air. It always takes ように or そうに. It implies the speaker thinks it is an act.

Remember it さ (so) + も → looking for all the world as though it were so.

忠告ちゅうこくした、しかるに彼かれは聞きかなかった。

I warned him; and yet he would not listen.

Usage しかるに — and yet. It joins two opposed statements. Archaic written style. Also written 然るに. Close to それなのに.

Remember it 然る (being so) + に → it being so, and yet.

しめて五万ごまん円えんになります。

That comes to fifty thousand yen all told.

Usage しめて〜になる — the total comes to. Used when closing an account or a bill. Also written 締めて. From 締める, to close off.

Remember it 締める (close, tie off) → the column closed and totalled.

隙すきを見みてすかさず反撃はんげきした。

Seeing the opening, he counterattacked at once.

Usage すかさず〜する — instantly, without letting the moment pass. 隙 is a gap, so すかさず is leaving no gap at all. It stresses quickness of reaction.

Remember it 隙 (a gap) + さず → not allowing so much as a gap.

私わたしはいささかも疑うたがっていない。

I do not doubt it in the slightest.

Usage いささかも〜ない — not in the least. It ALWAYS takes a negative. Written. Also written 些かも. Close to 露ほども and 少しも.

Remember it 些 (a trifle) + かも → not even by a trifle.

いみじくも彼かれが言いった通とおりだ。

It is exactly as he so aptly put it.

Usage いみじくも〜と言った — said strikingly well; used to commend someone's phrasing. Written. It has nothing to do with 忌み.

Remember it いみじ (splendid, in the old language) + くも → splendidly said.

質問しつもんにそくざに答こたえた。

He answered the question on the spot.

Usage そくざに — instantly. Also written 即座に. Close to 直ちに and すかさず. It stresses that no thinking time was needed.

Remember it 即 (immediate) + 座 (the seat) → answered without leaving the seat.

相手あいてをたかをくくって油断ゆだんした。

Underestimating his opponent, he let his guard down.

Usage たかをくくる — to take something lightly. たか is 高, the scale of a thing: guessing it small and dismissing it. It always ends badly.

Remember it 高 (the extent) + くくる (tie up) → totting the thing up small and closing the book.

よもや負まけるとは思おもわなかった。

I never dreamed we would lose.

Usage よもや〜まい / ないだろう — surely not. It always takes a negative or a negative conjecture. Written and slightly archaic.

Remember it よもや → the word you use for the thing you thought could not happen.

準備じゅんびはちゃくちゃくと進すすんでいる。

Preparations are progressing steadily.

Usage 着々と進む — advancing surely, step by step; it goes almost always with 進む. Positive. Also written 着々と.

Remember it 着 (arrive, settle) doubled → each stage landing before the next begins.

現場げんばをつぶさに観察かんさつした。

He observed the site in detail.

Usage つぶさに観察する, つぶさに報告する — minutely, leaving nothing out. Formal written style. Also written 具に. Close to 詳細に.

Remember it 具 (in full, in detail) → set out complete, with every part present.

薬くすりがてきめんに効きいた。

The medicine worked at once.

Usage てきめんに効く — taking effect immediately and visibly. Also written 覿面に. Often as 効果てきめん, an instant effect.

Remember it 覿 (see directly) + 面 (face) → the effect showing right in front of your face.

どうやら道みちを間違まちがえたらしい。

Apparently I have taken a wrong turn.

Usage どうやら〜らしい / ようだ, it seems; and どうやらこうやら, managing it somehow in the end. The first is far more common.

Remember it どう (how) + やら → how exactly is unclear, but so it seems.

彼かれはとっくに帰かえったよ。

He went home ages ago.

Usage とっくに〜た — long since. Colloquial, implying the listener is behind the times. Close to とうに, but more everyday.

Remember it とっくに → it was done and finished while you were still asking.

ともすれば初心しょしんを忘わすれがちだ。

One is apt to forget one's original intentions.

Usage ともすれば〜がちだ — tending to. It always ends in がち or やすい. All but synonymous with ややもすると. Cautionary.

Remember it とも (either way) + すれば → let things take their course and this is what happens.

子こどもがいるならなおのこと注意ちゅういが必要ひつようだ。

If there are children, all the more care is needed.

Usage 〜ならなおのこと — all the more so; it raises the degree above what the previous clause established. Also なおさら.

Remember it 尚 (still more) + のこと → more so than that again.

なにゆえこうなったのか分わからない。

I do not know why it turned out like this.

Usage なにゆえ — for what reason. Archaic written style, far more formal than なぜ. Also written 何故 — the same characters as なぜ, read differently.

Remember it 何 (what) + 故 (cause) → for what cause.

盗ぬすんでいないとぬけぬけと言いい張はった。

He brazenly insisted that he had not stolen it.

Usage The adverbial form of ぬけぬけ, used with と before a verb of speaking: 言う, 言い張る. It marks the shamelessness of the utterance itself.

Remember it 抜ける (slip through) doubled + と → the words slipping out with no shame attached.

はからずも再会さいかいを果はたした。

Unexpectedly, we met again after all.

Usage はからずも〜した — unintentionally, by chance. Also written 図らずも. 図る is to plan, so this is what was never planned.

Remember it 図る (plan) + ずも → without having planned it at all.

ひたむきに練習れんしゅうを重かさねてきた。

He has practised earnestly and without pause.

Usage ひたむきに〜する — single-mindedly, wholeheartedly. Complimentary. Also written 直向きに. Close to 一途に.

Remember it ひた (straight, wholly) + 向き (facing) → facing the one direction and no other.

去年きょねんよりひとまわり大おおきくなった。

He has grown a size bigger than last year.

Usage ひとまわり大きい, a size larger; and the twelve-year zodiac cycle — ひとまわり年上, twelve years older. Also written 一回り.

Remember it 一 (one) + 回り (turn) → one full turn round, of a size or of the zodiac.

ふと顔かおを上あげると雪ゆきが降ふっていた。

I happened to look up and it was snowing.

Usage ふと〜する — suddenly, without intending to. It goes with small acts: 思う, 見る, 気づく. Very common in descriptive writing.

Remember it ふと → the thing you did before deciding to do it.

ほどなく電車でんしゃが到着とうちゃくした。

Before long the train arrived.

Usage ほどなく〜した — shortly afterwards. Written. Also written 程なく. Close to まもなく but more formal.

Remember it 程 (an interval) + なく → with no interval worth counting.

まことしやかに噂うわさが広ひろまった。

The rumour spread with every appearance of truth.

Usage まことしやかに — plausibly, and therefore suspect. It is used of rumours and fabrications. Also written 実しやかに.

Remember it 誠 (truth) + しやか (with the look of) → wearing the look of truth over something else.

まんざら嘘うそでもなさそうだ。

It does not seem to be altogether a lie.

Usage まんざら〜でもない — not entirely, and so partly true. It ALWAYS takes a double negative. まんざらでもない means secretly rather pleased.

Remember it まんざら → not the whole of it, so some of it stands.

傷口きずぐちがみるみる腫はれてきた。

The wound swelled up before my eyes.

Usage みるみる〜する — changing fast enough to watch. Also みるみるうちに. It always describes change within moments.

Remember it 見る (see) doubled → changing while you are still looking at it.

好機こうきをむざむざ逃のがしてしまった。

I let a good chance slip away for nothing.

Usage むざむざ〜する — losing something without putting up a fight. Always with regret and helplessness. Partners: 逃す, 奪われる.

Remember it むざむざ → watching it go and doing nothing to stop it.

絶たえて消息しょうそくを聞きかない。

I have heard nothing of him since.

Usage 絶えて〜ない — not once since. It ALWAYS takes a negative. Written register. Read たえて.

Remember it 絶える (cease) + て → it ceased, and has not resumed.

行いってみたい。もっとも時間じかんがあればの話はなしだが。

I should like to go — that said, only if I have the time.

Usage もっとも〜だが — that said, adding a qualification; and the adjective もっともだ, meaning reasonable. Also written 尤も.

Remember it 尤 (the most reasonable) → the fair point that has to be added.

やみくもに探さがしても見みつからない。

Searching blindly will not find it.

Usage やみくもに〜する — at random, with no plan. 闇 is darkness: groping about in the dark. Critical. Also written 闇雲に.

Remember it 闇 (darkness) + 雲 (cloud) → searching in the dark under cloud.

待まち時間じかんはゆうに一いち時間じかんを超こえた。

The wait was easily over an hour.

Usage ゆうに〜を超える — comfortably exceeding. Placed before a quantity to stress that it is more than that. Also written 優に.

Remember it 優 (ample) → with room to spare above the figure.

親おやの心配しんぱいをよそに遊あそび回まわっている。

Heedless of his parents' worry, he is out enjoying himself.

Usage 〜をよそに — disregarding. It always takes を. The object is usually 心配, 反対 or 批判. A much-tested N1 pattern.

Remember it 余所 (elsewhere) + に → treating it as though it belonged to someone else.

ろくすっぽ練習れんしゅうもせずに出場しゅつじょうした。

He entered without even training properly.

Usage ろくすっぽ〜ない — not even decently. It ALWAYS takes a negative. Colloquial and critical. Close to ろくに.

Remember it ろくすっぽ → nothing done to anything like a decent standard.

今年ことしの冬ふゆはことのほか厳きびしい。

This winter is exceedingly severe.

Usage ことのほか〜だ — more so than one would have expected. Also written 殊の外. Written. Unlike 殊に, it stresses exceeding the estimate.

Remember it 殊 (special) + の外 (outside) → outside even the special case you allowed for.

腕うでが一段いちだんと上あがった。

His skill has come on markedly.

Usage 一段と〜なる — a clear step up on before. It always implies a comparison with an earlier state. Read いちだんと.

Remember it 一 (one) + 段 (step) → a whole step higher than it stood.

責任せきにんは一切いっさい負おいません。

We accept no responsibility whatsoever.

Usage 一切〜ない — not in any respect. It very often takes a negative. Also a noun: 一切を任せる, to entrust everything.

Remember it 一 (one) + 切 (cut) → the whole cut taken at once, leaving nothing out.

何なんなりとお申もうし付つけください。

Please ask for anything at all.

Usage 何なりと — anything whatever. Service-industry honorific language, almost always followed by お申し付けください. Read なんなりと.

Remember it 何 (whatever) + なりと → be it whatever it may.

無む責任せきにん極きわまりない発言はつげんだ。

It is an utterly irresponsible remark.

Usage 〜極まりない — in the extreme, attached after a な-adjective or a noun. It is almost always critical: 危険極まりない, 失礼極まりない.

Remember it 極まる (reach the limit) + ない → past where the limit would have been.

殊更ことさら騒さわぎ立たてる必要ひつようはない。

There is no need to make a special fuss about it.

Usage 殊更〜する, doing it on purpose; and 'especially'. The first carries criticism of making too much of something. Read ことさら.

Remember it 殊 (special) + 更 (further) → going out of your way to make it special.

重かさねてお礼れい申もうし上あげます。

I thank you once again.

Usage 重ねて〜申し上げます — saying it once more. Formal, for letters and speeches. Read かさねて.

Remember it 重ねる (lay on top) → one more layer of the same.

常々つねづねそう思おもっておりました。

I have always thought so.

Usage 常々〜ている — habitually, from some time back. Formal written style. Close to 日頃から. Read つねづね.

Remember it 常 (always) doubled → always, and always again.

切せつに願ねがっております。

I earnestly hope so.

Usage 切に願う, 切に望む — earnestly. It goes with almost nothing but 願う, 望む and 祈る. Formal written style. Read せつに.

Remember it 切 (cutting, urgent) → wished for keenly enough to hurt.

概がいして評判ひょうばんは良よい。

The reputation is generally good.

Usage 概して — on the whole. Written, common in reports. Close to 総じて and 押しなべて. Read がいして.

Remember it 概 (in outline) → taking the outline and not the details.

多分たぶんに誤解ごかいが含ふくまれている。

It contains a great deal of misunderstanding.

Usage 多分に〜が含まれる — to a considerable extent. Read たぶんに, quite unlike たぶん meaning probably. A frequent trap.

Remember it 多 (much) + 分 (portion) → a large portion of it, not a guess about it.

手当てあたり次第しだいに本ほんを読よんだ。

I read books at random.

Usage 手当たり次第に〜する — taking whatever comes to hand, without selection. It implies haphazard method. Read てあたりしだい.

Remember it 手 (hand) + 当たり (what it meets) + 次第 (as it comes) → whatever the hand happens to touch next.

存分ぞんぶんに力ちからを発揮はっきしてほしい。

I hope you will show what you can do to the full.

Usage 存分に〜する — to your heart's content, without restriction. 思う存分, as much as one could wish, is very common. Read ぞんぶんに.

Remember it 存 (what you have) + 分 (measure) → the whole of your measure, held back from nothing.

質問しつもんが矢継やつぎ早ばやに飛とんできた。

Questions came flying in rapid succession.

Usage 矢継ぎ早に〜する — one after another without pause. The image is of arrows nocked and loosed without lowering the bow. Read やつぎばやに.

Remember it 矢 (arrow) + 継ぎ (following) + 早 (quick) → the next arrow on the string before the last has landed.