あまり (あまり) — Japanese Vocabulary
あまり (あまり / amari): not very (+ negative). N4 level Japanese vocabulary.
あまり — あまり (amari)
Part of speech: adverb JLPT level: N4 Reading: あまり (amari) Meaning: not very; not much (+ negative verb)
Word Breakdown
The word あまり is most commonly written in hiragana. While it can be written with the kanji 余り, it is standard practice in modern Japanese to use hiragana for the adverbial usage.
The kanji 余 (meaning "surplus" or "remainder") carries the on-yomi ヨ (yo) and the kun-yomi あま(る) (ama-ru). It signifies an excess or something left over. When used as an adverb, it functions to describe a degree that is "in excess" of what is desirable or expected, which is why it naturally pairs with negative outcomes or states.
All Readings
- Kanji: 余
- On-yomi (音読み): ヨ (yo)
- Kun-yomi (訓読み): あま(る) (ama-ru), あま(り) (ama-ri)
- In this word: The reading is あま(り).
Example Sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| あまり好きではありません。 | あまり すきでは ありません。 | Amari suki dewa arimasen. | I don't like it very much. |
| 今日はあまり暑くないです。 | きょうは あまり あつくないです。 | Kyō wa amari atsukunai desu. | It is not very hot today. |
| 最近、あまり寝ていません。 | さいきん、あまり ねていません。 | Saikin, amari nete imasen. | I haven't been sleeping much lately. |
| 彼はあまり日本語を話せません。 | かれは あまり にほんごを はなせません。 | Kare wa amari nihongo o hanasemasen. | He cannot speak Japanese very well. |
| この映画はあまり面白くなかった。 | この えいがは あまり おもしろくなかった。 | Kono eiga wa amari omoshirokunakatta. | This movie wasn't very interesting. |
| あまり無理をしないでください。 | あまり むりを しないで ください。 | Amari muri o shinaide kudasai. | Please don't overdo it. |
| 昨夜はあまりよく眠れませんでした。 | さくやは あまり よく ねむれませんでした。 | Sakuya wa amari yoku nemuremasen deshita. | I couldn't sleep very well last night. |
| 駅から家まで、あまり遠くありません。 | えきから いえまで、あまり とおくありません。 | Eki kara ie made, amari tōku arimasen. | It is not very far from the station to my house. |
Related Words and Compounds
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 余り | あまり | amari | remainder / surplus |
| 余る | あまる | amaru | to remain / to be left over |
| 余計 | よけい | yokei | too much / unnecessary |
| 余地 | よち | yochi | room / margin / scope |
| 余暇 | よか | yoka | leisure time |
| 余分 | よぶん | yobun | extra / excess |
| 余生 | よせい | yosei | the rest of one's life |
| 余談 | よだん | yodan | digression / aside |
Common Mistakes
❌ あまり好きです。 → ✓ あまり好きではありません。 — Amari must be paired with a negative verb or negative predicate. You cannot say "I not very like it."
❌ あまりたくさん食べました。 → ✓ あまり食べませんでした。 — Amari is used to express a lack of degree. Using it with a positive verb to mean "a lot" is incorrect; use takusan (たくさん) instead.
In Context — Mini Dialogue
A: 今日のテスト、どうだった？ (Kyō no tesuto, dō datta?) How was today's test?
B: うーん、あまりよくできなかったよ。 (Un, amari yoku dekinakatta yo.) Hmm, I didn't do very well.
A: そうなの？勉強したのに？ (Sō na no? Benkyō shita noni?) Really? Even though you studied?
B: うん、時間が足りなかったんだ。 (Un, jikan ga tarinakatta nda.) Yeah, I ran out of time.
Usage Notes
Nuance and Formality: Amari is a versatile word used in both casual and formal settings. It is slightly more formal than anmari (あんまり), which is a common colloquial contraction often heard in spoken conversation. When you want to soften a negative statement (e.g., saying "I don't like it" without sounding overly blunt), amari is the perfect tool to use.
Collocations: Amari is almost exclusively used with negative predicates (e.g., ~nai, ~masen, ~nai desu). While it can occasionally be used in positive contexts to mean "excessive" (e.g., あまりの暑さに — "due to the excessive heat"), for N4 learners, it is best to master the "not very" usage first. It is a staple of polite Japanese, helping speakers express opinions or observations without being overly harsh or definitive.