What is the difference between "あまり" and "余り"?

"あまり" means "not much, not very (used with negative verb)" (N5), whereas "余り" represents "remainder, surplus, not very (with negative)" (N3).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "あまり (amari)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

あまり (amari)

N5 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

あまり (amari)

N3 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "あまり (amari)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

あまり (Level: N5): Translates to "not much, not very (used with negative verb)" and is used when Adverb. Always used with a negative form of a verb or adjective.
余り (Level: N3): Maps to "remainder, surplus, not very (with negative)" and carries the nuance of As a noun, it means 'remainder' or 'excess'.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "あまり"

私はあまりテレビを見ません。

I don't watch TV much.

Bilingual Context for "余り"

忙しくて、あまりテレビを見ません。

I'm busy, so I don't watch much TV.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "私は＿＿＿テレビを見ません。" (Meaning: "I don't watch TV much.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "あまり" is used for "not much, not very (used with negative verb)" in the context: "I don't watch TV much.".