Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
Approximately; around; about (time or period)
๐ฏ Primary Function
To indicate an approximate point in time or a general period during which something happens or happened.
๐ Grammar Structure
Structure 1: Noun + ใฎ + ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผ
Structure 2: Verb (ใๅฝข – past tense) + ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผ
Structure 3: Specific Time (Number + ๆ, ๆๆฅ, etc.) + ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผ
Structure 4: Certain Nouns (e.g., ๆ, ๆผ, ๆฉ, ้ฑๆซ, ๆฅไผใฟ, ๅคไผใฟ, ๅฌไผใฟ, ๆผใ้ฃฏ) + ้ ๏ผใใ or ใใ, often ใใ is more common, but ใใ is also possible depending on nuance/context.) Key distinction: ใใ is generally used with *specific numerical times*, while ้ is used with *periods, events, or verb forms*. Some nouns can take either, but ใใ is often preferred for those functioning like specific time slots (like ๆผใ้ฃฏ้ ).
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Can be used, but more precise expressions might be preferred in very formal writing or speech.
Informal Situations
Very commonly used in everyday conversation.
Written Language
Frequently used in informal writing (e.g., emails, social media). Less common in very formal documents.
Spoken Language
Extremely common and natural.
๐ก Common Applications
Referring to an approximate clock time
Used after a specific time (e.g., ๏ผๆ, ๆผใ้ฃฏ) to mean “around [that time]”. Note: ใใ is used for specific numerical times.
Example: ๏ผๆ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผใซๆฅใฆใใ ใใใ (San-ji goro ni kite kudasai.) – Please come around 3 o’clock.
Referring to an approximate period or event
Used after a noun representing a period or event (e.g., ๅญไพใฎๆ, ๅคไผใฟ) to mean “around the time of [that period/event]”. ้ is typically used here.
Example: ๅญไพใฎ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผใฏใใใๅคใง้ใณใพใใใ(Kodomo no koro wa, yoku soto de asobimashita.) – When I was a child, I often played outside.
Referring to an approximate past action
Used after the past tense of a verb (ใๅฝข) to mean “around the time when [verb] happened”. ้ is used here.
Example: ๆฅๆฌใธๆฅใ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผใๆฅๆฌ่ชใๅ
จ็ถๅใใใพใใใงใใใ(Nihon e kita koro, Nihongo ga zenzen wakarimasen deshita.) – Around the time I came to Japan, I didn’t understand Japanese at all.
Frequency
Very High
Difficulty
Low to Medium (Understanding the ใใ vs ใใ distinction is key).
Example Sentences
ๆฏๆ๏ผๆ้ ใซ่ตทใใพใใ
I wake up around 7 o’clock every morning.
้ซๆ ก็ใฎ้ ใใใๅ้ใจๆ ็ปใ่ฆใซ่กใใพใใใ
When I was a high school student, I often went to see movies with friends.
้ป่ปใซไนใฃใ้ ใ้จใ้ใๅงใใพใใใ
Around the time I got on the train, it started raining.
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
ใใ vs ใใ
ใใ is typically used with specific numerical times (e.g., ๏ผๆใใ, ๏ผๆๅใใ, ๏ผๆฅใใ, ๏ผๆใใ). ้ (ใใ) is used with nouns indicating periods or events (e.g., ๅญไพใฎ้ , ๅคไผใฟใฎ้ ) and with verb past tense forms (e.g., ๆฅๆฌใธๆฅใ้ ).
Example: ๏ผๆใใ๏ผใใ๏ผใซไผ่ญฐใ็ตใใใพใใ(Go-ji goro ni kaigi ga owarimasu.) – The meeting finishes around 5 o’clock.
ๅญฆ็ใฎ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผใไธ็ๆธๅฝๅๅผทใใพใใใ(Gakusei no koro, isshoukenmei benkyou shimashita.) – When I was a student, I studied very hard.
Approximate, not exact
้ indicates an *approximate* time or period. It is not used for exact times.
Example: Wrong: ๏ผๆ๏ผๅ้ ใซ้ง
ใซ็ใใพใใใ(San-ji go-fun goro ni eki ni tsukimashita.) – This sounds unnatural. Use ๏ผๆ๏ผๅ about an exact time.
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ Using ใใ with periods/events or verb forms
โ
Use ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผ instead.
ใใ is for specific numerical times. ้ ๏ผใใ๏ผ is for broader periods, events, or verb forms.
โ Using ้ for very precise times
โ
Do not use ้ for exact minutes or specific small increments.
้ indicates a general approximation, not precision.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral/Common
Social Situations: Suitable for most everyday social situations.
Regional Variations: Generally consistent across regions, but slight preferences for ใใ or ใใ with certain nouns might exist.
๐ Subtle Differences
้ vs ใใใ/ใใใ
้ specifically refers to *time* (a point in time or a period). ใใใ/ใใใ can refer to approximate time, but also approximate quantity, distance, degree, etc.
When to use: Use ้ when talking about approximate time or a period. Use ใใใ/ใใใ for approximate time as well, but also for other types of approximations.
้ vs ๆ (ใจใ)
ๆ refers to a specific point in time or duration *when* something happens (can be exact or general). ้ refers to the *approximate time or period* around which something happens.
When to use: Use ๆ when you want to state *when* something occurs. Use ้ to emphasize that the time or period is approximate or a general timeframe.
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When to use: undefined
๐ Conjugation Notes
Attaches directly after Nouns (often with ใฎ, but not always), Verb past tense (ใๅฝข), or specific time expressions.
๐ Pronunciation Tips
้ is pronounced ใใ (koro) or ใใ (goro). Remember ใใ is generally used after numerical times or specific time-like nouns (like ๆ, ๆผ), while ใใ is used after nouns indicating periods/events and verb forms.
๐ง Memory Tips
Think of ้ like “around” or “about” a time or period. Remember ใใ for “numerical go-ro”. ใใ for “period/event koro”.
Practice Exercises
Select the correct particle: ๆผใ้ฃฏ๏ผฟ๏ผฟ๏ผฟใซใๅ้ใจไผใใพใใใ
ใ
ใ
้
ใธ
Select the correct reading: ๏ผๆ๏ผฟ๏ผฟ๏ผฟใซๅฏใพใใ
ใใ
ใใ
ใจใ
ใ ใ
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