嫌々(いやいや)

いやいや
adverb
reluctantly
1. reluctantly
reluctantly; unwillingly; grudgingly
嫌々(いやいや)仕事(しごと)をする。
To work reluctantly.
子(こ)どもは嫌々(いやいや)宿題(しゅくだい)をやった。
The child did homework reluctantly.
彼(かれ)は嫌々(いやいや)ながらも手伝(てつだ)ってくれた。
He helped me, albeit reluctantly.

嫌々(いやいや) is formed by reduplicating 嫌(いや) (unpleasant, unwilling), expressing doing something against one's will.

USAGE PATTERNS:

  • 嫌々(いやいや) + verb: to do something reluctantly
  • 嫌々(いやいや)ながら(も): reluctantly, even though unwilling

POSITION:
Typically appears before the verb it modifies.

REGISTER: Neutral to slightly informal.

SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:

  • 渋々(しぶしぶ) (reluctantly, hesitantly)
  • 仕方(しかた)なく (with no choice)
  • 不本意(ふほんい)ながら (unwillingly - formal)

ORTHOGRAPHY:
Often written in hiragana as いやいや.

general
Added 2026.1.21 12:55
07500/07795_iyaiya