度々

• Reading: たびたび
• Romaji: tabitabi
• Kanji breakdown: 度 (tabi/do) — time, occasion, degree
• Pronunciation: /ta.bi.ta.bi/

Meaning

Often; repeatedly; frequently. Indicates something happening many times.

An adverb formed by repeating 度 (tabi, time/occasion), emphasising recurrence. Slightly more formal than よく (often) and often carries a nuance of being noteworthy or problematic: 度々遅刻する (frequently late), 度々ご迷惑をおかけして (sorry for repeatedly causing trouble). Common in apologies and formal statements. Can also be written たびたび in hiragana.

Examples

1. 度々すみませんが、もう一つ質問があります。 Sorry to bother you again, but I have one more question.
2. この地域では度々地震が起きている。 Earthquakes occur frequently in this area.
3. 彼は度々約束を忘れるので困っている。 He keeps forgetting his promises, and it's a real problem.

Usage Guide

Context: apologies, formal speech, reports

Tone: apologetic

Origin & History

Reduplication of 度 (tabi, time/occasion). The kanji 度 originally depicted a hand measuring a span, extending to mean 'a time' or 'an instance.' Doubled, it means 'time after time.'

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal