How to say "exactly" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- adverbCovers exactness of amount, time, or position — the 'just; right' sense, when something measures or happens at the precise figure or moment. This is the natural choice for stating that a number or time is exact.
- adverbFor the emphatic sense 'precisely that' — confirming something is the very thing expected, claimed, or sought. It asserts exact identity or aptness, not a measured amount.
- adverb, suru verbExactness in manner: doing or arranging something properly, accurately, and without sloppiness. Think of the 'accurately' sense — work done neatly and as it should be — rather than exact figures.
- adverb (with と), suru verbExactness with a snug, no-slack feel: things fitting tightly, amounts met precisely, and time kept on the dot. Choose it when 'exactly' implies tightness or punctuality.
- adverb, suru verbA variant of きちんと, shading toward 'perfectly'; it can convey 'exactly', but for that sense learners will normally be better served by きちんと or きっちり.
Use 「ちょうど」 for exact amounts, times, or positions; 「まさに」 for emphatic 'precisely that'; 「きちんと」 for doing something properly and accurately; 「きっちり」 for snug, punctual exactness; 「きちっと」 is a variant of 「きちんと」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- ちょうどexactly
- まさにexactly
- きちんとproperly
- きっちりexactly
- きちっとexactly
- ジャストjust
- 正しょうexactly
- しっくりexactly
- かっちりtightly
- きっかりexactly
- かっきりexactly
- ちょっきりexactly
- 寸分違わずすんぶんたがわずwithout the least difference
- ひたearnestly
- それなyou got that right
- どextreme
- 真んまんperfect
- ちゃんとperfectly
- ぴったりexactly
- すなわちprecisely
- ずばりprecisely
- 歩ぶexactly
- フラットflat (e.g. in 10 seconds flat)
- まさしくjust
- しかとdistinctly
- ぴたっとexactly
- 時にときにprecisely (at that time)
- それそれyeah
- どんprecisely
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