そうそう

そうそう

See also: そうぞう and ぞうぞう

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spelling
然う然う

Reduplication of そう.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) そーそー [sòósóó] (Heiban – [0])[1]
• (Tokyo) そ​ーそー [sóꜜòsòò] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
• IPA^(key): [so̞ːso̞ː]

Adverb

そうそう • (sōsō) ^{←さうさう (sausau)?}

1. (chiefly in the negative) so much; so often; so long; particularly; especially

   Synonyms: そんなに, それほど

   そんな人(ひと)はそうそういないだろう。

   Sonna hito wa sōsō inai darō.

   A person like them is not so common.

   そうそう彼(かれ)に頼(たの)むわけにもいかない。

   Sōsō kare ni tanomu wake ni mo ikanai.

   I can't ask him so often.

Etymology 2

Reduplication of そう.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) そ​ーそー [sóꜜòsòò] (Atamadaka – [1])[1]
• IPA^(key): [so̞ːso̞ː]

Interjection

そうそう • (sōsō) ^{←さうさう (sausau)?}

1. Used when something comes to mind: to recall

   そうそう、去(きょ)年(ねん)の今(いま)頃(ごろ)だったなあ。

   Sōsō, kyonen no imagoro datta nā.

   Now I remember, it was about this time last year.

2. Used to express agreement: yeah, of course

   そうそう、その通(とお)りです。

   Sōsō, sonotōridesu.

   Yeah, that make sense.

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of そうそう – see the following entries.

【早々はやばや】 [adverb] so early; occurring much earlier than usual [adverb] promptly; right away Alternative spelling 早早 【早々】 [noun] something happening right away Alternative spelling 早早 【匆々】 [noun] brevity; rudeness; hurry [noun] sincerely, yours sincerely, sincerely yours (at the end of a letter) [adjective] brief, rude, hurried, busy Alternative spellings 匆匆, 怱々, 怱怱 【草々】 [noun] brevity; rudeness; hurry [noun] sincerely, yours sincerely, sincerely yours (at the end of a letter) [adjective] brief, rude Alternative spelling 草草 【草創】 [noun] beginning; inauguration [verb] to begin, to inaugurate 【草叢】 [noun] a thick growth of grass; underbrush; undergrowth 【送葬】 [noun] funeral; burial rites [noun] attendance at a funeral [verb] to attend a funeral 【葬送】 [noun] funeral; burial rites [noun] attendance at a funeral [verb] to attend a funeral 【滄桑】 [noun] Short for 滄海桑田, vicissitudes of life; great changes; complete transformations 【層相】 [noun] facies 【総奏】 [noun] (music) tutti 【淙淙】 [adjective] (archaic) sound of flowing water 【嘈嘈】 [adjective] (literary) noisy Alternative spelling 嘈々 【層層】 [adjective] layer upon layer; level by level; multi-layered 【蒼蒼】 [adjective] (archaic, of sky or ocean) blue [adjective] (archaic, of vegetation) dark green; luxuriantly green [adjective] (archaic) dim, gloomy 【錚錚】 [adjective] (literary) eminent; distinguished; outstanding [adjective] (literary, of metal, musical instrument, etc.) resonant; clear sounding Alternative spelling 錚々 【簇簇】 [adjective] crowd gathering 【蹌蹌】 [adjective] (archaic) wandering 【叢叢】 [adjective] (of grass and trees) flourishing 【鏘鏘】 [adjective] (archaic) tinkling sound (esp. bell on the Emperor's carriage); bright sound of metal being struck [adjective] (archaic) cry of the phoenix [adjective] popular, prosperous [noun] (archaic) cry of the phoenix

(This term, そうそう, is an alternative spelling of the above Sino-Japanese terms.)

(The following entries are uncreated: 双双, 琮琤, 颼颼.)

References

1. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN