also: やっとこせ · やっとこ
adverb
Colloquial emphatic form of やっと, expressing relief or impatience after a long wait or effort.
See also: やっと
やっとこさ仕事が終わった。
At last, work is finished.
電車がやっとこさ来たよ。
The train finally came!
adverb
Colloquial emphatic form of やっと, emphasizing that something was achieved only with difficulty or by a small margin.
See also: やっと
やっとこさ間に合った。
I barely made it in time.
やっとこさ合格点だった。
I just barely got a passing score.
interjection
yo-ho!; heave-ho!
Only with reading やっとこさ / やっとこせ
Interjection used when lifting or pulling something heavy, often in a rhythmic chant. Restricted to the readings やっとこさ and やっとこせ.
「やっとこさ！」と声をかけて、みんなで岩を持ち上げた。
With a shout of "yo-ho!", everyone lifted the rock together.
Standard, neutral adverb for 'at last' or 'barely'. やっとこさ is a more colloquial, emphatic variant.
Colloquial emphatic extension of やっと, likely formed by adding the suffix こさ or こせ. The exact origin of the suffix is uncertain.