Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 1: 12/23

一応(いちおう) ②more or less, for the time being, tentatively・roughly

Structure

一応 + Phrase

Details

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About 一応 ②

When used as an adverb, 一応(いちおう) can often carry the nuance of (A) not being perfect or ideal, but the minimum required in order to satisfy some requirement. This 'requirement' is frequently related to the time or amount of something. When used this way, 一応(いちおう) may be interpreted as 'more or less, (A)', 'for the time being, (A)', or 'tentatively (A)'.

This use of 一応(いちおう) is in contrast to the other common use of 一応(いちおう), which can be translated as 'just in case', or 'just to be sure'. In these cases, the speaker is usually indicating that (A) is being done in order to avoid or prevent (B). However, in both of its uses, it simply indicates that (A) is the minimum amount which is fulfilling some requirement.

Examples

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    「もうコンピュータを直(なお)したの？」
    「一応(いちおう)ね。時間(じかん)がかかったけど。」

    'Have you repaired the computer?'
    'More or less. It took a while though.'

    医者(いしゃ)、患者(かんじゃ)について：「ふう…一応(いちおう)、容態(ようだい)は安定化(あんていか)できました。」

    Doctor, about a patient: '*sighing* We were able to stabilize her condition, for the time being.'

    若(わか)く見(み)えるメリオダズさん：「これでも一応(いちおう)、僕(ぼく)は大人(おとな)なんです。」

    Young looking Melodiaz: 'Despite this (the way I look), I am more or less an adult.'

    部長(ぶちょう)：「残念(ざんねん)ながらもう時間(じかん)がありませんので、これで一応(いちおう)会議(かいぎ)は終(お)わりです。」

    Head of the department: 'Unfortunately, we have run out of time, so with that, the meeting is finished for the time being.'

    転(ころ)んだ友達(ともだち)１(いち)に話(はな)しかける友達(ともだち)２(に)：「大丈夫(だいじょうぶ)？」
    友達(ともだち)１(いち)：「一応(いちおう)。」

    Friend2 talks to Friend1 who has fallen: 'Are you ok?'
    Friend1: 'More or less.'

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一応 ② – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (3 in total)

  • s1212z

    s1212z

    For some of these “more or less” translations, how interchangeable is 一応 and だいたい? I’m not seeing anything exceptional except for a few phrases but BP is marking them wrong without ‘try again’ warnings. Seems 一応 is a bit more stand alone if preferred but I do see “more or less” + 'phrase’ on both entries.

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    Hey @s1212z !

    We apologize for the very late reply!

    How interchangeable is 一応 and だいたい? Not interchangeable at all. You could use them in place of each other, but you will be changing the nuance of the sentence greatly. 一応 has a nuance that makes the speaker seem not too confident, while だいたい does not have that nuance, and used just to state how something is ‘mostly complete’.

    For example:
    「もうコンピュータを直（）したの？」
    「一応（）ね。時間（）がかかったけど。」
    ‘Have you repaired the computer?’
    ‘More or less. It took a while though.’ (It took some time, but I think I was able to fix it. At least I think it might be fixed, I am not very confident about it)

    「もうコンピュータを直（）したの？」
    「だいたい（）ね。もう少し時間<...

  • s1212z

    s1212z

    Thank you @Fuga for explaining and the examples, makes sense!

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