Japanese word

点々

Pronunciation

Romajitenten

Meaning

  • adverbhere and there

Example

山道に小さな店が点々とあります。san dō ni chii sa na mise ga ten ten to a ri ma su

There are small shops here and there along the mountain road.

Illustration for 点々 (here and there)

More examples

空には雲が点々と浮かんでいます。sora ni wa kumo ga ten ten to u ka n de i ma su

Clouds are scattered across the sky.

Core concept

It presents separate things as small points spread across a space rather than gathered in one place.

Common phrases

  • 点々とあるten ten to a ru

    be scattered here and there

  • 点々と見えるten ten to mi e ru

    be visible here and there

  • 点々と残るten ten to noko ru

    remain here and there

Similar words

ちらほらchirahora: A few separate things appear here and there across an area.
ぽつぽつpotsupotsu: Separate things or events occur sparsely and at intervals.
ところどころtokorodokoro: Separate things are located at several different points in an area.

Definition in Japanese

物や事柄が一か所に集まらず、あちこちに少しずつあるさま。mono ya koto gara ga ichi ka sho ni atsu ma ra zu a chi ko chi ni suko shi zu tsu a ru sa ma

Word origin

点々 (tenten) is a reduplicated form of 点 (ten, "dot" or "point"), and the repeated dots suggest separate things spread here and there.

Usage tips

  • The form 点々と (tenten to) commonly appears before ある (aru) when separate objects such as shops or houses are found along a route.

Other meanings

  • scatteredadverb
  • sporadicallyadverb

Word lists with this word