Japanese word

もう

Pronunciation

Romajimō

Meaning

  • adverbyet, already

Example

もう来ましたか？mō ki ma shi ta ka

Have you arrived yet?

Illustration for もう (yet)

More examples

もう宿題をしました。mō shuku dai o shi ma shi ta

I already did my homework.

冷蔵庫に牛乳はもうありません。rei zō ko ni gyū nyū wa mō a ri ma se n

There is no milk left in the refrigerator.

Core concept

Marks a temporal boundary, showing that an event is complete, expected by now, or no longer continuing.

Common phrases

  • もう一度mō ichi do

    once more

  • もう少しmō suko shi

    a little more

  • もうすぐmō su gu

    soon

Similar words

まだmada: Indicates that an expected event has not happened or that a state continues.

Definition in Japanese

基準となる時点に達したことや、そこを過ぎたことを表す語。ki jun to na ru ji ten ni tas shi ta ko to ya so ko o su gi ta ko to o arawa su go

Word origin

The native Japanese adverb もう (mō) has been used since Old Japanese, while the precise form from which it developed remains uncertain; its meanings share the idea of moving beyond a point.

Usage tips

  • Because Japanese often leaves the subject unstated, もう (mō) in a short reply can refer to completion of an activity understood from the surrounding conversation.

Other meanings

  • not anymoreadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word