Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| およそ | oyoso | [o̞jo̞so̞] (narrow) |
| 約 | yaku |
Japanese has several ways to express the concept of 'more or less' depending on the context. The adverb おおよそ means roughly or approximately. You can also use 大体 to mean generally, approximately or roughly. In formal speech or writing, 概ね is used to mean 'generally' or 'approximately', while 多少 is used to convey that something is true 'to some extent' or 'to a certain degree'.
Which one should you use?
While both およそ and 約 can be used to mean approximately, they function differently. およそ is an adverb that can stand alone or modify a clause, whereas 約 is a prefix attached directly to a number.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 約 functions specifically as a prefix used before numbers or quantities to mean 'approximately'.
How do you pronounce it?
oyoso
Did you know?
- While およそ means 'approximately' in most contexts, it can also be used as およそ…ない to mean 'absolutely not' or 'not at all'.
- The term 多少 (tashō) literally combines the kanji for 'many' and 'few' to create the meaning 'to some extent'.
- The word 大体 (daitai) is a 'chameleon' word that can function as an adverb meaning 'approximately' or as a noun meaning 'the main point' or 'the gist' of a story.
Examples in context
- 概ね100人くらい参加する予定です。Roughly around 100 people are expected to participate.
- 今からだいたい1時間ぐらいかかると思うよ。I think it will take about an hour from now, more or less.
- その本は大体500ページぐらいあります。That book has around 500 pages, more or less.
- 約三千人Approximately 3,000 people
- およそ三十分で終わります。oyoso sanjuppun de owarimasu.It will finish in approximately thirty minutes.
- 人口はおよそ一万人です。jinkou wa oyoso ichiman-nin desu.The population is approximately ten thousand.
- およそ五キロの距離があります。oyoso go-kiro no kyori ga arimasu.There is a distance of approximately five kilometers.
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are discussing the travel time to a destination.
- 蓮 Ren目的地まで、およそどれくらいかかりますか？mokutekichi made, oyoso dore kurai kakarimasu ka?Approximately how long will it take to the destination?
- 陽葵 Himari車で一時間ぐらいです。kuruma de ichijikan gurai desu.It is about one hour by car.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵さんは、渋滞が心配ですか？Himari-san wa, juutai ga shinpai desu ka?Himari, are you worried about traffic?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、少し心配です。Hai, sukoshi shinpai desu.Yes, I am a little worried.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “more or less” translations and entries およそ, 約, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
