ちょっと

Japanese

Alternative forms

(adverb) ちょいと (choito)
(rare) 一 (ちょっ)寸 (と) (chotto)
(interjection, shortening) ちょっ (cho')

Etymology

From ちっと (chitto), itself a geminated emphatic form of Old Japanese ちと (chito), originally composed of ち (chi, “small”, not used in isolation; cognate with the chi in 小さい chīsai) + と (to, adverbial particle).^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) ちょっと [chóꜜttò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2]
(Tokyo) ちょっと [chòttó] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
IPA^(key): [t͡ɕo̞t̚to̞]

Adverb

ちょっと (rōmaji chotto)

slightly, a little, a bit, somewhat
an indirect expression of refusal

Usage notes

Used to say that something is inconvenient for you when being invited to do something.

Synonyms

(a little): 少 (すこ)し (sukoshi)

Interjection

ちょっと (rōmaji chotto)

hey, excuse me

References

↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
1 2 3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[KDJ-1] 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan

[DJR-2] 1 2 3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN