月並み・月並・月次|つきなみtsukinami[0]heiban (flat)
げつじgetsuji[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
月並み月並み is the most common form and the recommended default for beginners. It combines kanji and kana and is the form to choose when writing this word.
月並月並 is less common than 月並み and is written entirely in kanji. Recognize it as a variant, but prefer 月並み when choosing a form to write.
月次月次 is the least common of the three forms and is written entirely in kanji. Beginners should use 月並み instead.
Definitions
- no-adjectiveevery month
- na-adjective, nountrite; commonplace; conventional; hackneyedorig. used as an insult towards old-fashioned poets who would meet monthly to write poetry
Conjugation
| Plain form | 月並み（つきなみ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 月並みです（つきなみです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 月並みではない（つきなみではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 月並みではありません（つきなみではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 月並みだった（つきなみだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 月並みではなかった（つきなみではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 月並みで（つきなみで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 月並みに（つきなみに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 月並みなら（つきなみなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym陳腐ちんぷWrittenWritten word for hackneyed, as in 「陳腐な台詞」; stresses loss of freshness from repeated use.
- Synonym平凡へいぼんNeutralThe most general word for ordinary, as in 「平凡な人生」; not necessarily derogatory.
- SynonymありふれたCasualColloquial prenominal form for things seen everywhere, as in 「ありふれた名前」; stresses sheer commonness.
- Related凡庸ぼんようWrittenWritten word for mediocre, as in 「凡庸な人物」; stresses lack of talent and carries a disparaging tone.
- Related通俗つうぞくWrittenWritten word for popular and accessible, as in 「通俗小説」; stresses mass appeal and ease of understanding, not triteness.
- Related凡ぼんWrittenMostly a prefix or compound element, as in 「凡ミス」 and 「非凡」; rarely used on its own.
- Related何の変哲もないなんのへんてつもないCasualColloquial set phrase for something utterly plain, as in 「何の変哲もない日常」; stresses that nothing is special, while 「月並み」 stresses staleness.
- Related決まりきったきまりきったCasualColloquial prenominal form for formulaic things, as in 「決まりきった挨拶」; stresses fixed, unvarying form rather than trite content.
- Related凡常ぼんじょうWrittenWritten word for ordinary and unremarkable; rare, and 「平凡」 is the usual choice.
- RelatedありきたりCasualColloquial word for run-of-the-mill, as in 「ありきたりな表現」; common in speech.
- Related尋常一様じんじょういちようWrittenWritten four-character idiom for perfectly ordinary, as in 「尋常一様の努力では」; mostly used in negative constructions.
- Related凡俗ぼんぞくWrittenWritten noun for the worldly and mediocre, as in 「凡俗の徒」; stresses mundane ordinariness.
- Related平俗へいぞくWrittenWritten word for plain and commonplace, also for an easy, accessible style, as in 「平俗な文章」.
- Antonym特異とくいWrittenWritten antonym for unique and peculiar, as in 「特異な才能」; the opposite of 「月並み」.
- Antonym斬新ざんしんWrittenWritten antonym for fresh and original, as in 「斬新なデザイン」; the opposite of 「月並み」.
- Antonym独創的どくそうてきWrittenWritten antonym for original and creative, as in 「独創的な発想」; the opposite of 「月並み」.
Use 「月並み」 for hackneyed expressions and ideas, as in 「月並みな表現」; it often serves as a humble lead-in (「月並みですが」). For things that are merely plain and unremarkable, 「平凡」 is the general choice, 「ありきたり」 the colloquial one, and 「陳腐」 fits what overuse has worn out. The opposite is 「斬新」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
