別に
Japanese
editKanji in this term |
---|
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
editInterjection
editUsage notes
editGenerally 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
editWhen 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- 特に (tokuni, “especially, particularly”)
References
editCategories:
- 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 with 1 kanji
- Japanese terms with usage examples
- Japanese adverbs
- Japanese negative polarity items