あれこれ
あれこれ
adverb
this and that; various things; in various ways
1.
this and that; various things; one thing and another
Refers to multiple unspecified things, topics, or matters being considered, discussed, or dealt with.
あれこれ考えた。
I thought about various things.
あれこれ悩んでも仕方がない。
There's no point worrying about this and that.
引っ越しの準備であれこれ忙しくしている。
I'm busy with various things in preparation for the move.
母はいつもあれこれ口を出してくる。
My mother always meddles in this and that.
A very common conversational word combining あれ (that) and これ (this) to mean 'various things' or 'one thing after another.' Often implies a scattering of attention across multiple topics or tasks rather than focused effort.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- あれこれ考える — to think about various things
- あれこれ悩む — to worry about this and that
- あれこれ口を出す — to meddle in various matters
- あれこれ試す — to try various things
- あれこれ言う — to say this and that; to make various comments
USAGE:
Can function as an adverb modifying a verb (あれこれ考える) or as a noun-like expression (あれこれの用事 — various errands). As an adverb, it often carries a nuance of doing something in an unfocused or scattered way.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- いろいろ — various (more neutral, general-purpose)
- 何かと — one way or another (often implies trouble or burden)
- とやかく — this and that (usually negative: とやかく言う — to nitpick)