Japanese word

やはり

Pronunciation

Romajiyahari

Meaning

  • adverbafter all

Example

やはりこれにします。ya ha ri ko re ni shi ma su

I will go with this after all.

Illustration for やはり (after all)

More examples

雨が降っていますが、やはり出かけます。ame ga fu tte i ma su ga ya ha ri de ka ke ma su

Even though it is raining, I will still go out.

Core concept

Shows that a conclusion returns to what was expected or to an earlier choice, even after other possibilities are considered.

Common phrases

  • やはりそうya ha ri sō

    just as expected

Similar words

結局kekkyoku: Marks the result reached after other possibilities or steps have been considered.
案の定annojō: Marks an outcome as one that was expected based on earlier signs.
さすがsasuga: Marks behavior or ability as matching an expected reputation or standard.

Definition in Japanese

予想や判断に反せず、思ったとおりであることを表す。また、考え直した末にも、結局同じ選択や状態になることを表す。yo sō ya han dan ni han se zu omo tta tō ri de a ru ko to o arawa su ma ta kanga e nao shi ta sue ni mo kek kyoku ona ji sen taku ya jō tai ni na ru ko to o arawa su

Word origin

やはり (yahari) is a native Japanese adverb with no reliable meaning-based kanji origin. 矢張り (yahari) is a traditional ateji spelling, not a compound of 矢 (ya, "arrow") and 張 (hari, "stretch").

Usage tips

  • In conversation, やはり (yahari) often appears when a speaker settles on the choice that had seemed right, while the casual form やっぱり (yappari) is common in relaxed speech.

Other meanings

  • as expectedadverb
  • stilladverb

Word lists with this word