about; roughly; generally; completely ~ (およそ) – Japanese Grammar およそ (oyoso)

Q: What JLPT level is およそ?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use およそ in a sentence?

Attach およそ to the appropriate verb or noun form. About; roughly; generally; completely ~

Q: Is およそ formal or casual Japanese?

およそ is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

およそ

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

oyoso

about; roughly; generally; completely ~

に難くない ni katakunai をよそに o yoso ni ではあるまいか dewa arumai ka ただ〜のみだ tada~nomi da と見るや to miru ya そばから soba kara といえども to ie domo を押して /を押し切って o oshite /o oshikitte のやら / ものやら /ことやら no yara / mono yara/ koto yara ぶり / っぷり buri / ppuri とて tote とは比べものにならない towa kurabemono ni naranai べく beku 可能性がある kanousei ga aru あらかじめ arakajime あっての atte no たら〜たで tara~tade 放題 houdai こととて koto tote たつもりはない ta tsumori wa nai に難くない ni katakunai をよそに o yoso ni ではあるまいか dewa arumai ka ただ〜のみだ tada~nomi da と見るや to miru ya そばから soba kara といえども to ie domo を押して /を押し切って o oshite /o oshikitte のやら / ものやら /ことやら no yara / mono yara/ koto yara ぶり / っぷり buri / ppuri とて tote とは比べものにならない towa kurabemono ni naranai べく beku 可能性がある kanousei ga aru あらかじめ arakajime あっての atte no たら〜たで tara~tade 放題 houdai こととて koto tote たつもりはない ta tsumori wa nai

🃏 Flashcard

およそ

oyoso

Tap to reveal usage

about; roughly; generally; completely ~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading oyoso

Post ID 51352

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

about; roughly; generally; completely ~

📖 How to use it

およそ marks rough estimates and can also mean 'completely' in negative sentences.

Attaches to およそ precedes numbers, amounts, or nouns directly, or attaches to a verb/noun phrase as およそ～ない.

およそ has two main uses. First, it indicates an approximate number or amount, similar to だいたい or やく, but it sounds more formal and literary. It is often used in writing or formal speech, especially with large or abstract quantities. For example, およそ百人 means 'about a hundred people'. This use is common in news, reports, and essays.

Second, およそ can combine with a negative verb to mean 'not at all' or 'completely not'. In this case it emphasizes that something is far from being the case, and it carries a strong, sometimes critical tone. For example, およそ不可能だ means 'completely impossible'. This use is also found in formal contexts.

In conversation, およそ is less common than だいたい or やく for estimates, and using it in casual speech may sound stiff. Be careful not to use およそ with a negative verb to mean 'about not doing something'—that is not the meaning.

このプロジェクトにはおよそ三か月かかるでしょう。

Kono purojekuto ni wa oyoso sankagetsu kakaru deshou.

This project will probably take about three months.

その計画はおよそ現実的ではない。

Sono keikaku wa oyoso genjitsuteki de wa nai.

That plan is completely unrealistic.

会場にはおよそ二千人の観客が集まった。

Kaijou ni wa oyoso nisen nin no kankyaku ga atsumatta.

About two thousand spectators gathered at the venue.

Not だいたいだいたい is used in everyday conversation and can also mean 'generally' as in 'generally speaking'. およそ is more formal and is rarely used in casual speech. For approximate numbers in conversation, use だいたい or やく.

Register およそ is formal and literary; it appears in written reports, news, and formal speeches, but sounds stiff in casual conversation.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

およそ

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat およそ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using およそ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns

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when; at the time; on the occasion ~

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ending particle; indicates assertion

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern およそ mean? ▼

About; roughly; generally; completely ~

What JLPT level is およそ? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use およそ in a sentence? ▼

Attach およそ (oyoso) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is およそ formal or casual Japanese? ▼

およそ is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember およそ long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.