そもそも

• 読み: そもそも
• ローマ字: somosomo
• 漢字の分解: 抑 (somo) — suppress, hold down; rarely written in kanji in modern usage
• 発音: /so.mo.so.mo/

意味

In the first place; to begin with; originally. Used to question or revisit the fundamental premise of a matter.

An adverb that redirects a conversation back to its starting point or underlying assumption. Often used when challenging whether the premise itself is correct, as in そもそもなぜ… (why in the first place…). Can also function as a noun meaning 'the beginning' or 'the origin.' Frequently appears in debates, essays, and critical discussions.

例文

1. そもそもこの計画は無理があったのではないか。
2. そもそもなぜ彼がリーダーに選ばれたのか分からない。
3. そもそもの原因を調べないと解決できない。

使い方ガイド

場面: debate, essays, daily conversation, critical thinking

トーン: questioning

起源と歴史

Written as 抑 in kanji, though rarely used in that form. Derives from classical Japanese, where it served as a discourse marker to introduce the main topic or return to fundamentals.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal