まあまあ
まあまあ
adverb
so-so; fairly; passably
1.
so-so; fairly; passably
Neither good nor bad; average or acceptable.
調子は？ーまあまあだね。
How are you doing? —So-so.
まあまあ美味しい。
It's fairly delicious.
2.
now, now; calm down
Used to soothe or calm someone.
まあまあ、落ち着いて。
Now, now, calm down.
まあまあ is a versatile expression with two main uses.
SENSE 1 - DEGREE:
- Indicates something is average or acceptable
- Similar to "not bad" or "pretty good"
- Often used as a standalone response
SENSE 2 - SOOTHING:
- Used to calm someone down
- Often followed by advice or reassurance
NUANCE:
As a degree word, まあまあ often implies "better than expected but not great."