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Grammar detail: ちょっと
ちょっと - a little ... or a lot
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ちょっと is one of the most versatile words in Japanese, as well as one of the most common. It can often be confusing for learners, because it is such an idiomatic word that there is often no direct translation which conveys the same sense.
You may encounter it on its own: 「ちょっと …」Depending on the context, this could mean 'Just a second', 'Hang on while I think about that', or 'Perhaps a little'.
As a learner you will probably encounter it first in the daily expression ちょっと
ま
待
って (please wait a little).Most literally, ちょっと means 'a little' of something - time, attention, etc.
Often, it is used more figuratively, especially in requests. For example:
Here, rather than the literal meaning 'a little phone call', the intended meaning is more 'use your phone for a little bit'. By diminishing the request, it is made somewhat politer.
In the same way, ちょっと can be a polite way to soften a refusal, or a negative statement.
Perhaps the most counter-intuitive usage is when ちょっと is used in this way to 'soften' an expression that is actually quite extreme. For example:
Here, 'a little impossible' is used as a polite way of saying 'very difficult'.
Kanji used in this grammar
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