別に

Japanese
Kanji in this term
別
べつ
Grade: 4
on’yomi

Etymology

別 (betsu, “separate”) + に (ni, particle), literally separately, used idiomatically to mean something closer to especially.[1][2] Compare Korean 별로 (byeollo).

Pronunciation
  • (Tokyo) べつに [bètsú ní] (Heiban – [0])[2]
  • IPA(key): [be̞t͡sɨᵝ ɲ̟i]

Interjection

別(べつ)に • (betsu ni) 

  1. nothing special; not really
    「店(みせ)に行(い)きたい？」「いや、別(べつ)に。」
    “Mise ni ikitai?”“Iya, betsu ni.”
    "Do you want to go to the store?" "Eh, not really."

Usage notes

Generally only used in negative contexts. When used on its own, the negative sense is implied. Compare the meaning and usage of the English expression that much.

Adverb

別(べつ)に • (betsu ni) 

  1. (not) especially, particularly
    別(べつ)に悪(わる)くない。
    Betsu ni warukunai.
    Not too bad.
    別(べつ)にいいじゃん。
    Betsu ni ii jan.
    So what? It's OK.

Usage notes

When used without an explicit negative polarity item, some negative meaning is generally implied: 別にいい (betsu ni ii, “[not] especially [bad], acceptably good”). Compare 全然(ぜんぜん) (zenzen, “[not] at all; totally”).

See also

References
  1. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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