つい

• 読み: つい
• ローマ字: tsui
• 発音: /tsɯ.i/

意味

Just (now); inadvertently; unintentionally. Indicates something done without thinking or happening moments ago.

An adverb with two main uses: (1) temporal — meaning 'just now' or 'only recently,' as in つい先日 (just the other day), and (2) involuntary action — meaning doing something unintentionally or out of habit, as in つい食べすぎた (I accidentally ate too much). The involuntary sense implies the speaker could not help themselves. Very common in everyday conversation.

例文

1. ダイエット中なのについ甘いものを食べてしまった。
2. つい先日まで暑かったのに急に涼しくなった。
3. 面白い本でつい夜更かししてしまった。

使い方ガイド

場面: daily life, self-reflection, conversation

トーン: apologetic

起源と歴史

A native Japanese adverb of long standing. Originally conveyed a sense of proximity in time or the ease with which an action occurs, evolving to encompass the nuance of doing something without deliberate intention.

文化的背景

時代: Ancient

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal