しょっちゅう
しょっちゅう
adverb
constantly; all the time; frequently
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.
あの二人はしょっちゅう喧嘩している。
Those two are constantly fighting.
最近、しょっちゅう頭が痛くなる。
Lately, I've been getting headaches all the time.
学生の頃は、しょっちゅうあの店でラーメンを食べていた。
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 (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: sometimes
- たまに: occasionally
NUANCE:
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:
- しょっちゅう遅刻する: to be late all the time
- しょっちゅう喧嘩する: to fight constantly
- しょっちゅう行く: to go there all the time
REGISTER:
Informal/colloquial. In formal contexts, use 頻繁に (frequently) or 常に (constantly) instead.