だいぶ

• Reading: だいぶ
• Romaji: daibu
• Pronunciation: /da.i.bɯ/

Meaning

Fairly; considerably; pretty much; to a large extent. Indicates a significant degree of change or state.

An adverb expressing that something has reached a considerable degree — often implying progress or change from a previous state. Similar to ずいぶん but slightly softer. Frequently used to describe improvement or recovery: だいぶよくなった (gotten much better). The kanji 大分 exists but hiragana is standard.

Examples

1. 風邪がだいぶよくなりました。 My cold has gotten considerably better.
2. 日本語がだいぶ話せるようになりました。 I've gotten to where I can speak Japanese pretty well now.
3. 外はだいぶ暗くなってきましたね。 It's gotten pretty dark outside, hasn't it?

Usage Guide

Context: progress, recovery, changes

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Written in kanji as 大分, combining 大 (dai, large/great) and 分 (bu, portion/part). Literally 'a large portion' — conveying the sense of a substantial or considerable degree.

Cultural Context

Era: Early Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal