Japanese word

とうとう

Pronunciation

Romajitōtō

Meaning

  • adverbfinally

Example

とうとう春が来ました。tō tō haru ga ki ma shi ta

Spring has finally come.

Illustration for とうとう (finally)

More examples

何年も待って、とうとう自分の店を開きました。nan nen mo ma tte tō tō ji bun no mise o hira ki ma shi ta

After waiting for many years, I finally opened my own shop.

Core concept

Shows an event finally coming about after time, effort, or a series of developments has led to its result.

Common phrases

  • とうとう終わるtō tō o wa ru

    finally end

  • とうとう見つかるtō tō mi tsu ka ru

    finally be found

  • とうとう決めるtō tō ki me ru

    finally decide

Similar words

やっとyatto: Shows that an event occurs after a long wait or considerable difficulty, often in casual speech.
ようやくyōyaku: Indicates that an awaited result has been achieved after delay or effort.
ついにtsuini: Marks the final result of a long process or series of events.

Definition in Japanese

長い待ち時間や経過の末に、ある事態が実現したさま。naga i ma chi ji kan ya kei ka no sue ni a ru ji tai ga jitsu gen shi ta sa ma

Word origin

とうとう (tōtō) is usually written in hiragana, while 到頭 (tōtō) is an ateji spelling that does not establish a Chinese-derived origin.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, とうとう (tōtō) can introduce either a welcome or an unwelcome result, depending on the context.

Word lists with this word