約(やく)

やく
prefix
approximately
quantity
1. approximately; about
A prefix used before numbers to indicate an approximation.
約(やく)10人(にん)が参加(さんか)した。
About 10 people participated.
駅(えき)まで約(やく)5分(ふん)です。
It's about 5 minutes to the station.
約(やく)1時間(じかん)待(ま)った。
I waited for about an hour.

約(やく) is a prefix meaning "approximately" that attaches directly to numbers.

Usage

Similar words

  • 約(やく) vs. ほぼ: 約(やく) is used specifically with numbers, while ほぼ is broader (e.g., ほぼ完成(かんせい) = almost complete)
  • 約(やく) vs. だいたい: だいたい is more casual and can mean "generally" as well as "approximately"

Related Words

Related: だいたい (roughly, approximately)
Related: ほぼ (almost, nearly)
Related: ぐらい (about, approximately)
Compare: 概数(がいすう) (approximate number)
general
Added 2026.2.3 9:29 · Revised 2026.10.3 16:50
09500/09563_yaku