わざわざ

• Reading: わざわざ
• Romaji: wazawaza
• Pronunciation: /wa.za.wa.za/

Meaning

Expressly; especially; going to special trouble to do something. Emphasises that an action required extra effort.

An adverb highlighting that someone went out of their way to do something. Often used with gratitude: わざわざ来てくれてありがとう (thank you for coming all this way). Can also carry a negative nuance: わざわざそんなことしなくていい (you don't need to go to that trouble). Context determines whether the tone is appreciative or dismissive.

Examples

1. わざわざ来てくれてありがとうございます。 Thank you for coming all this way.
2. そんなことのためにわざわざ電話しなくてもいいよ。 You don't need to go to the trouble of calling about something like that.
3. わざわざ手作りのケーキを持ってきてくれた。 They went out of their way to bring a homemade cake.

Usage Guide

Context: gratitude, effort, politeness

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 態 (waza, manner/deliberately), reduplicated for emphasis. The kanji form 態々 exists but is rarely used. The repetition intensifies the sense of deliberate, purposeful action.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal