別に

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Japanese

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Kanji in this term
べつ
Grade: 4
on'yomi

Etymology

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(betsu, separate) + (ni, particle), literally separately, used idiomatically to mean something closer to especially.[1][2] Compare Korean 별로 (byeollo).

Pronunciation

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Interjection

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(べつ) (betsu ni

  1. nothing special; not really
    (みせ)()たい?」「いや(べつ)。」
    “Mise ni ikitai?”“Iya, betsu ni.”
    "Do you want to go to the store?" "Eh, not really."

Usage notes

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Generally 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

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(べつ) (betsu ni

  1. (not) especially, particularly
    (べつ)(わる)くない。
    Betsu ni warukunai.
    Not too bad.
    (べつ)いいじゃん。
    Betsu ni ii jan.
    So what? It's OK.

Usage notes

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When 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(ぜんぜん) (zenzen, [not] at all; totally).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN