adverbial N4 common casualpolitewritten

非常に — extremely / very

非常に・ひじょうに

Meaning

extremely / highly — a strong degree, formal in tone

Key sentence

この問題もんだいは非常ひじょうに難むずかしい。

This problem is extremely difficult.

Usage

Modifies the adjective or verb that follows it. More formal than とても — common in writing, news, and careful speech; in casual conversation すごく or とても sound more natural.

Examples

今年ことしの夏なつは非常ひじょうに暑あつかった。

This summer was extremely hot.

ご協力きょうりょくいただき、非常ひじょうに感謝かんしゃしております。

We are extremely grateful for your cooperation.

この機械きかいは非常ひじょうに複雑ふくざつだ。

This machine is extremely complex.

Easily confused with

とても Same degree, different register: とても is neutral and conversational; 非常に is formal and weighted toward writing. 大変大変 as an intensifier is warm and often used in polite set phrases (大変お世話になりました); 非常に is drier and more analytical.

See 非常に in real sentences

Jengo shows 非常に the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar. Editorial confidence: medium.

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