かねがね

• 読み: かねがね
• ローマ字: kanegane
• 漢字の分解: 兼 (ken/kane) — combine, serve double duty, in advance
• 発音: /ka.ne.ɡa.ne/

意味

For some time now; since long ago; already; as one has always said or felt.

An adverb meaning 'for quite a while' or 'as has been the case for some time.' Used when revealing that a thought, feeling, or intention has existed long before the current moment — かねがね思っていた (I have been thinking for some time). Common in formal or semi-formal speech and often appears in greetings like お噂はかねがね (I have heard much about you for some time).

例文

1. お名前はかねがね伺っております。
2. かねがね申し上げている通り改善が必要です。
3. 海外で働きたいとかねがね思っていた。

使い方ガイド

場面: greetings, business, formal speech, introductions

トーン: polite

起源と歴史

From classical Japanese 予て (kanete, beforehand/in advance), reduplicated for emphasis. The kanji form 兼々 uses 兼 (kane, to combine/to do in advance) but the hiragana form かねがね is standard in modern usage.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: Adults

社会的背景: Universal