Components

Grammar detail: 々

々  kanji repetition symbol
261 words
My current mastery of this grammar point:
LOG IN to view grammar mastery data
The symbol 々 in a word indicates that the previous kanji, along with its reading, is repeated. It's a convenient shorthand that emerged when kanji were still largely written by hand as a simple way to save time.
The symbol is formally known as くりかえし (repeat), or
どう
じてん
字点
(same character symbol). However, it often goes by the name ノマ, since it is drawn as the combination of these two katakana characters.
Typing the 々 symbol on a computer / phone keyboard can be tricky, as it is not a 'kanji' per se. Perhaps for this reason, many of the words that use it are increasingly written in hiragana in modern Japanese. On several Japanese entry IMEs (Input Method Editors - the formal name for the system you use to enter Japanese on a computer or phone etc.), the quickest option is to type のま (i.e., n o m a) or sometimes くりかえし (k u r i k a e s h i) and the IME may suggest 々 as an option. If you are struggling to find a suitable way to produce the character on your system, the simplest option is to simply type a word that contains it, such as
しょうしょう
少々
or
かたがた
方々
, and then delete the first character.
Since Japanese contains many onomatopoeic words and words that contain repeated sounds, the 々 character is encountered very frequently - in fact, it appears in just under 700 words in our dictionary. Some common examples include:
1
Most common form: 少々
adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun
just a minute; small quantity
(click the word to view an additional 4 forms, examples and links)
0
Most common form: いろいろ
1. various  (often written with kana only)
2. various colors (colours)  (archaic)
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
0
sometimes; at times
(click the word to view an additional 3 forms, examples and links)
0
Most common form: なかなか
1. very; considerably; easily; readily; fairly; quite; highly; rather  (often written with kana only)
2. by no means (with negative verb); not readily  (often written with kana only)
(click the word to view an additional 2 meanings and 3 forms, examples and links)
0
Most common form: 我我
we
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
1
Most common form: 個々
individual; one by one; separate
(click the word to view an additional 4 forms, examples and links)
1
Most common form: そもそも
adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi)
1. in the first place; to begin with; from the start; originally; ab initio  (often written with kana only)
conjunction
2. ... the heck (e.g. "what the heck?"); ... in the world (e.g. "why in the world?"); ... on earth (e.g. "who on earth?")  (see also: 一体; often written with kana only)
(click the word to view an additional 1 meaning and 3 forms, examples and links)
0
Most common form: もともと
originally; by nature; from the start  (often written with kana only)
(click the word to view an additional 4 forms, examples and links)
0
Most common form: もともと
originally; by nature; from the start  (often written with kana only)
(click the word to view an additional 4 forms, examples and links)
2
noun
1. they (of people); gentlemen (of the ...)  (honorific)
2. you (usu. plural)  (honorific)
(click the word to view an additional 1 meaning and 2 forms, examples and links)
2 3
varied; various
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
2
in succession; one by one
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
0
separately; individually
(click the word to view an additional 2 forms, examples and links)
1
adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
every day; daily; day after day; days (e.g. good old days)
(click the word to view an additional 1 reading and 2 forms, examples and links)
2
Most common form: 人人
each person; people; men and women; everybody
(click the word to view an additional 1 reading and 3 forms, examples and links)
Please LOG IN for free flashcards

Kanji used in this grammar

(kanji repetition symbol)   
ドウ   おな same   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
ジ   character   あざ village section   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
テン    spot, point   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
ショウ   すこ a little   すくない few   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
ホウ   かた way, direction   
Problem with this grammar? Question or comment? Please CONTACT US.
Kanshudo is your AI Japanese tutor, and your constant companion on the road to mastery of the Japanese language. To get started learning Japanese, just follow the study recommendations on your Dashboard. You can use Quick search (accessible using the icon at the top of every page) to look up any Japanese word, kanji or grammar point, as well as to find anything on Kanshudo quickly. For an overview, take the tour.
×