いかにも

い

か

に

も

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

adverb

indeed; really; truly; just like

usually written using kana alone

Expresses strong emotive conviction, often used when something matches one's expectations or image perfectly. Common in phrases like いかにも～らしい.

いかにも彼かれらしい発はつ言げんだ。

That's just the kind of thing he would say.

いかにも日本にほん的てきな風ふう景けいですね。

This is a truly Japanese scene, isn't it?

2

adverb

very; extremely; totally; terribly

usually written using kana alone

Used as an intensifier before adjectives or descriptive phrases, often with a nuance of 'so much that it's obvious'.

いかにも美味おいしそうなケーキだ。
That cake looks terribly delicious.
いかにも簡かん単たんそうに見みえるが、実じつは難むずかしい。
It looks extremely easy, but it's actually difficult.

3

adverb, interjection

absolutely; certainly; for sure

usually written using kana alone

Used as an interjection or adverbial response to show strong agreement. Often appears in the phrase いかにもその通り.

「この計けい画かくは完かん璧ぺきだね」「いかにも」
"This plan is perfect, isn't it?" "Absolutely."
いかにもその通とおりです。
You are certainly right.

Usage patterns

いかにも〈人ひと〉らしいso typical of ~; just like ~
遅ち刻こくして謝あやまらないのは、いかにも彼かれらしい。
Being late and not apologizing—that's so typical of him.
いかにもその通とおりだexactly right; that's absolutely so
「彼かれが悪わるいんだよ」「いかにもその通とおりだ」
"It's his fault." "Absolutely, that's exactly right."
いかにも〈事こと〉そうな顔かおをするto look as if / to have a face that clearly shows (some feeling)
彼かれはいかにも困こまったような顔かおをしていた。
He had a look on his face that clearly showed he was in trouble.

Kanji

如likeness, like, such as
何what

Related words

さもN1sense 1
さも and いかにも both mean 'just like/truly', but さも is more literary and typically appears in written descriptions, while いかにも is common in everyday speech.
本ほん当とうにN5sense 1
本当に is a plain, general word for 'really/truly', whereas いかにも adds a stronger sense of matching one's expectations or image exactly.
まさにN3sense 1
まさに emphasizes exact correctness or timing ('precisely'), while いかにも emphasizes that something fits a stereotype or impression perfectly.
実じつにN3sense 2
実に is a neutral intensifier meaning 'truly/indeed', while いかにも in its intensifying sense implies the quality is so strong it's unmistakable.
それっぽい
いかにも is an adverb emphasizing that something looks exactly as expected or stereotypical, while それっぽい focuses on a looser, superficial resemblance that may not be exact.

Don't confuse with

いかがN5
如何にも (いかにも) means 'indeed' or 'just as expected' and shares the kanji 如何, but it is unrelated in meaning to いかが, which means 'how' or 'how about'.
いかなるN1
いかなる is a pre-noun adjective meaning 'what kind of' or 'no matter what', while いかにも is an adverb meaning 'indeed' or 'truly', despite their similar appearance.
どうにも
如何にも is written identically to どうにも but read いかにも and means 'indeed, just like', so learners must not confuse the two readings and meanings of the same kanji form.

Etymology

Derived from 如何 (ika, 'how') + にも (ni mo, particle combination), literally 'in whatever way'. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it has been used since classical Japanese to express strong affirmation or resemblance.