Dictionary🇯🇵 Japanese → 🇺🇸 English
Japanese to English Dictionary
全然
zenzen
Description
「全然」は、後ろに「ない」などの言葉が来て、「まったく～ない」という意味になります。
"全然" is used with words like "ない" after it, meaning "not at all ~".
最近では「全然大丈夫」のように、いい意味で「とても」という使い方もよくします。
Recently, "全然" is also often used in a positive sense like "全然大丈夫" meaning "very".
Meanings
全然zenzen
not at all, entirely (with a negative)
この本は全然おもしろくない。
This book is not interesting at all.
全然zenzen
totally, completely (informal, in positive use)
全然大丈夫だよ、気にしないで。
It's totally fine, don't worry about it.
Related words
Notes
- Nuance
Traditionally paired with a negative; the positive 全然+adjective use is very common in casual speech.
- Etymology
全 (whole) + 然 (state/manner), originally meaning 'in a complete state'.
In videos
“この人は全然勉強しなかったのかもしれません。”
Images