別に
Japanese edit
Kanji in this term |
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別 |
べつ Grade: 4 |
on’yomi |
Etymology edit
別 (betsu, “separate”) + に (ni, particle), literally separately, used idiomatically to mean something closer to especially.[1][2] Compare Korean 별로 (byeollo).
Pronunciation edit
Interjection edit
Usage notes edit
Generally only used in negative contexts. When used on its own, the negative sense is implied. Compare the meaning and usage of the English expression that much.
Adverb edit
- (not) especially, particularly
- 別に悪くない。
- Betsu ni warukunai.
- Not too bad.
- 別にいいじゃん。
- Betsu ni ii jan.
- So what? It's OK.
- 別に悪くない。
Usage notes edit
When used without an explicit negative polarity item, some negative meaning is generally implied: 別にいい (betsu ni ii, “[not] especially [bad], acceptably good”). Compare 全然 (zenzen, “[not] at all; totally”).
See also edit
References edit
Categories:
- Japanese terms spelled with 別 read as べつ
- Japanese terms read with on'yomi
- Japanese terms with IPA pronunciation
- Japanese lemmas
- Japanese interjections
- Japanese terms spelled with fourth grade kanji
- Japanese terms written with one Han script character
- Japanese terms with usage examples
- Japanese adverbs
- Japanese negative polarity items