やはり

• Reading: やはり
• Romaji: yahari
• Kanji breakdown: 矢 (ya) — arrow; 張 (hari) — stretch, tension (kanji form 矢張り is rarely used)
• Pronunciation: /ja.ha.ɾi/

Meaning

As expected; sure enough; just as one thought. Confirms something previously suspected.

An adverb with several nuances: (1) confirming an expectation — やはり彼が犯人だった (he was the culprit after all); (2) expressing that something remains unchanged — やはり日本食が一番好きだ (Japanese food is still my favourite after all); (3) colloquially shortened to やっぱり or やっぱ. One of the most versatile and frequently used adverbs in Japanese.

Examples

1. やはり予想どおり雨が降ってきた。 Sure enough, it started raining just as expected.
2. いろいろ考えたが、やはり元の計画に戻そう。 I thought about it a lot, but I've decided to go back to the original plan after all.
3. 高いけど、やはり品質が違うね。 It's expensive, but the quality really is different, isn't it.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, writing, daily life

Tone: reflective

Origin & History

Written in kanji as 矢張り, from 矢 (ya, arrow) and 張り (hari, stretching). The image of a taut bowstring suggests tension that resolves as expected — the arrow flies true to its mark.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal