やや
やや
adverb
slightly, somewhat
1.
slightly, somewhat, a little
Indicates a small degree or extent, suggesting that something is marginally more or less than expected.
今日はやや寒い。
It's somewhat cold today.
値段がやや高めだ。
The price is slightly on the high side.
彼の説明はやや分かりにくかった。
His explanation was somewhat difficult to understand.
やや is a formal adverb meaning "slightly" or "somewhat." It is more commonly used in written language, news reports, and formal speech than in casual conversation.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- やや高い: slightly high/expensive
- やや多い: somewhat many
- やや遅れて: slightly late
- やや難しい: somewhat difficult
CONTRAST WITH SIMILAR WORDS:
- やや: slightly (formal, written)
- ちょっと: a little (casual, spoken)
- 少し: a little (neutral, versatile)
- いくぶん: somewhat (formal, literary)
- 若干: slightly (formal, often in data/statistics)
USAGE:
Typically modifies adjectives or verbs. Very common in news: 景気はやや回復した (the economy recovered slightly).