めったに

• Reading: めったに
• Romaji: mettani
• Kanji breakdown: 滅 (metsu) — destroy, perish; 多 (ta) — many (kanji form 滅多に is rarely used)
• Pronunciation: /met.ta.ni/

Meaning

Rarely; seldom. Almost always used with negative verbs to mean 'hardly ever.'

An adverb that is nearly always followed by a negative form: めったに～ない (rarely does ~). Common patterns: めったに会えない (can rarely meet), めったにない機会 (a rare opportunity). Without the negative, めったな is used as an adjective meaning 'reckless' or 'careless,' but this usage is uncommon.

Examples

1. 彼はめったに怒らない穏やかな人だ。 He's a calm person who rarely gets angry.
2. こんなチャンスはめったにないよ。 An opportunity like this almost never comes along.
3. 最近はめったに映画を見に行かなくなった。 Lately I've hardly been going to the movies anymore.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, writing, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Written in kanji as 滅多に, from 滅多 (metta, reckless/thoughtless). Originally meant 'without careful thought' and evolved to mean 'not often' when combined with negation — events that occur without careful planning are rare.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal