決して

• 読み: けっして
• ローマ字: kesshite
• 漢字の分解: 決 (ketsu/ki) — decide, determine
• 発音: /kes.ɕi.te/

意味

Never; by no means; not in the least. A strong negative adverb always used with negative verb forms.

An adverb that must be paired with a negative predicate (ない, ません, etc.). Expresses absolute negation — stronger than just ない alone. 決して諦めない (I will never give up) is a common motivational phrase. Unlike 全然, which can colloquially be used with positives, 決して is strictly negative.

例文

1. 彼の努力を決して忘れません。
2. この約束は決して破らないでください。
3. 決して簡単な試験ではなかった。

使い方ガイド

場面: emphasis, promises, strong denial

トーン: emphatic

起源と歴史

From 決する (kessuru, to decide/settle) in its conjunctive form. Literally means having decided — as in having firmly decided that something will not happen. The kanji 決 combines 氵 (water) with 夬 (to break through).

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal