しょっちゅう

adverb

constantly; all the time; frequently

informalspokencolloquialtime-general

1. constantly, all the time, frequently, always

Describes something that happens very often, to the point of being excessive or notable. Colloquial and slightly exaggerated.

あの二人(ふたり)はしょっちゅう喧嘩(けんか)している。

Those two are constantly fighting.

最近(さいきん)、しょっちゅう頭(あたま)が痛(いた)くなる。

Lately, I've been getting headaches all the time.

学生(がくせい)の頃(ころ)は、しょっちゅうあの店(みせ)でラーメンを食(た)べていた。

When I was a student, I was always eating ramen at that shop.

A casual adverb meaning "all the time" or "constantly." Derived from 始終(しじゅう) (from beginning to end).

FREQUENCY SCALE (high → low):

いつも: always (neutral)
しょっちゅう: constantly, all the time (casual, emphatic)
よく: often (neutral)
時々(ときどき): sometimes
たまに: occasionally

Usage

More casual and emphatic than よく or いつも. Often carries a feeling of "too often" or slight exasperation. Common in spoken Japanese but avoided in formal writing.

Example patterns

しょっちゅう遅刻(ちこく)する: to be late all the time
しょっちゅう喧嘩(けんか)する: to fight constantly
しょっちゅう行(い)く: to go there all the time

Register

Informal/colloquial. In formal contexts, use 頻繁(ひんぱん)に (frequently) or 常(つね)に (constantly) instead.

Related Words

Synonym: いつも (always (neutral))

Synonym: 始終(しじゅう) (constantly (slightly formal))

Related: 年中(ねんじゅう) (all year)

Compare: 頻繁(ひんぱん)に (frequently)

general

Added 2026.2.7 15:48 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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