ほぼ

• Reading: ほぼ
• Romaji: hobo
• Pronunciation: /ho.bo/

Meaning

Almost; nearly; approximately. Indicates something close to completion or totality.

An adverb used to modify verbs, adjectives, and quantities to express near-completeness. Often interchangeable with ほとんど, though ほぼ tends to be slightly more concise and common in written contexts. Frequently appears with numbers and percentages (ほぼ100%, nearly 100%).

Examples

1. レポートはほぼ完成している。 The report is almost finished.
2. 参加者はほぼ全員が賛成した。 Nearly all the participants agreed.
3. 毎朝ほぼ同じ時間に起きている。 I wake up at almost the same time every morning.

Usage Guide

Context: reports, progress updates, estimation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Originally written 略 or 粗, both meaning 'rough' or 'approximate.' The modern usage is almost always in hiragana. Derived from classical Japanese meaning 'roughly' or 'in broad outline.'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal