あえて

あ

え

て

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

adverb

dare to; deliberately; purposely

usually written using kana alone

Used when someone intentionally does something that seems unnecessary, unexpected, or counterproductive. Often implies a degree of boldness or going against the expected course.

あえて言いうなら、彼かれの提てい案あんは現げん実じつ的てきではない。
If I dare say so, his proposal is not realistic.

彼かの女じょはあえて危き険けんな道みちを選えらんだ。

She deliberately chose a dangerous path.

2

adverb

not necessarily; not particularly

usually written using kana alone

Used with a negative verb to soften a statement, indicating that something is not especially the case. Common in phrases like あえて～ない.

その映えい画がはあえて見みるほどではない。
That movie is not particularly worth seeing.
彼かれの意い見けんにあえて反はん対たいするつもりはない。
I don't necessarily intend to oppose his opinion.

3

adverb

definitely not

usually written using kana alonearchaic

Archaic use with a negative verb, expressing strong negation. Rare in modern Japanese; replaced by expressions like 決して～ない.

古こ語ごでは「あえて～ず」で「決けっして～ない」の意いを表あらわした。
In classical language, あえて～ず meant 'definitely not'.

Written forms

あえてUsage85%
Usually written in kana. The kanji form 敢えて is also used, especially in formal or literary writing.
敢あえてUsage13%
Kanji form; less common than kana but still encountered. The search-only form 敢て is not included.
敢あえてUsage3%
search-only kanji form

Kanji

敢daring, brave, bold

Similar words

わざと
わざと means 'on purpose' with a nuance of doing something intentionally, often with a slightly negative or mischievous connotation. あえて implies daring to do something against expectations or norms.
決けっして
決して is used with a negative verb to mean 'never' or 'by no means', expressing strong negation. あえて in its archaic sense had a similar function but is no longer used that way.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 敢う (あう, 'to dare'), which is now archaic. The adverbial form あえて developed from the conjunctive form of this verb.