synonym Comparative
とっくに
VS
夙に
Differences Between "とっくに" and "夙に"
Option A
とっくに
Meaning
long ago, a long time ago, already
Reading
とっくに (tokkuni)
Syllabus Level
N2
Practical Example
宿題はとっくに終わらせたよ。
I finished my homework ages ago.
Option B
夙に
Meaning
long ago; already; from an early stage; notoriously; well-known
Reading
つとに (tsutoni)
Syllabus Level
N1
Practical Example
彼の才能は、その分野では夙に知られている。
His talent has been well-known in that field for a long time.
Which one to use?
Select the correct Japanese word for this context
Which word fits this context: "(long ago, a long time ago, already)"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- とっくに: Indicates that something happened or was completed much earlier than the current moment, often implying a sense of 'it's already too late' or 'it should have been done'. かなり以前に、とっくの昔に。
- 夙に: This is an adverb, often used in more formal or literary contexts. It signifies something has been the case for a considerable amount of time, or is widely recognized. It implies "already" or "from an early stage" regarding knowledge or status. Colloquial use is rare. (文学的・フォーマルな文脈で用いられる副詞。何かが以前からそうであったり、広く知られている状態を表す。口語ではあまり使われない。)
- とっくに: Indicates that something happened or was completed much earlier than the current moment, often implying a sense of 'it's already too late' or 'it should have been done'. かなり以前に、とっくの昔に。
- 夙に: This is an adverb, often used in more formal or literary contexts. It signifies something has been the case for a considerable amount of time, or is widely recognized. It implies "already" or "from an early stage" regarding knowledge or status. Colloquial use is rare. (文学的・フォーマルな文脈で用いられる副詞。何かが以前からそうであったり、広く知られている状態を表す。口語ではあまり使われない。)
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