JLPT · Level 88
45 words
Japanese word
単調
Pronunciation
Romajitanchō
Meaning
- na-adjectivemonotonous
Example
彼は単調な声で話します。kare wa tan chō na koe de hana shi ma su
He speaks in a monotone voice.
More examples
毎日同じ作業の繰り返しは、単調でつまらないです。mai nichi ona ji sa gyō no ku ri kae shi wa tan chō de tsu ma ra na i de su
Repeating the same tasks every day is monotonous and boring.
Core concept
Describes something that continues with little change in rhythm, content, or feeling, making it seem flat and repetitive.
Common phrases
単調な生活tan chō na sei katsu
a monotonous life
単調な作業tan chō na sa gyō
monotonous work
単調なリズムtan chō na ri zu mu
a monotonous rhythm
Similar words
一本調子ichiponchōshi: Describes a voice, performance, or activity with no changes in pace or quality.
平板heiban: Describes speech, writing, or an experience that feels flat because it has little variety.
画一的kakuitsuteki: Describes a group or system that is made uniform and lacks individual variation.
Definition in Japanese
変化や起伏が乏しく、同じような状態が続いて面白みに欠けるさま。hen ka ya ki fuku ga tobo shi ku ona ji yō na jō tai ga tsuzu i te omo shiro mi ni ka ke ru sa ma
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese compound 単調 (tanchō) combines 単 (tan, "single") and 調 (chō, "tone or tune"), giving the sense of one unvarying tone.
Usage tips
- In English, monotonous often describes an activity or situation, while monotone more often describes an unchanging voice, so 単調 (tanchō) can apply to either depending on context.
Other meanings
- monotonena-adjective
- monotonynoun
Opposites
- 多彩tasaivariedna-adjective
Related words
- 単調さtanchōsamonotonynoun
- 単調性tanchōseimonotonynoun