専ら

• Reading: もっぱら
• Romaji: moppara
• Kanji breakdown: 専 (sen/moppa) — exclusive, specialty, solely
• Pronunciation: /mop.pa.ɾa/

Meaning

Wholly; solely; exclusively. Devoting attention or effort entirely to one thing.

An adverb indicating that someone focuses almost entirely on a single activity or that something is predominantly one way. 専ら読書に費やす (devote entirely to reading), 休日は専ら家にいる (on days off, I mainly stay home). Carries a nuance of deliberate, consistent focus rather than forced restriction.

Examples

1. 最近の休日は専ら家で映画を見ている。 These days on my days off I mostly just watch movies at home.
2. 彼は専ら研究に打ち込んでいて、ほとんど外出しない。 He devotes himself almost entirely to his research and rarely goes out.
3. 料理は専ら妻に任せている。 I leave all the cooking entirely to my wife.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, hobbies, work

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 専 (sen, exclusive/specialty) originally depicted a spindle — something that turns single-mindedly around one axis. The reading もっぱら is native Japanese (kun-yomi).

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal