Used before numbers, quantities, times, distances, and similar expressions to show an approximate amount.
About three hundred people gathered at the venue.
It is about a ten-minute walk to the station.
promise; appointment; engagement
A short Sino-Japanese noun for a promise or engagement; uncommon as a free-standing modern word, where 約束 or 予約 is usually more natural. It appears more readily in set or formal-looking expressions.
約を違える is a somewhat stiff expression meaning 'to break a promise.'
shortening; reduction; simplification
Used mainly as a Sino-Japanese bound element or technical-looking noun for making something shorter, smaller, or simpler, as in compounds related to summarizing or reducing.
The 約 in 要約 carries the sense of shortening and summarizing a text.
In mathematical 約分, a fraction is reduced to a simpler form.
phonetic contraction
Specialized linguistic use referring to contraction of sounds; closely related to the term 約音.
See also: 約音
In linguistic explanations, the term 約音 may be used to refer to contraction of sounds.
This town has a population of about 50,000.
It takes about three hours from Tokyo to Osaka by bullet train.
約 is a prefix attached directly to a number (約100人) to mean 'approximately', whereas おおよそ is a full adverb that can stand more freely in a sentence.
treaty; pact; convention; agreement
engagement; betrothal
saving; economizing; cutting down
agreement; rules; code; protocol; convention; bylaw
limitation; restriction; constraint
cancellation of a contract; termination of an agreement
consolidate; aggregate; summarize
summary; digest; abstract
public pledge; campaign promise; official commitment
oath; vow; pledge; covenant
breach of contract; default
firm promise; definite commitment
old promise; old agreement; old covenant · Old Testament
special contract; special agreement; rider (insurance)
secret agreement; secret pact
thrift; frugality; economy
new contract; new agreement · New Testament
solemn pledge; pact; covenant; alliance
agreement; stipulation; contract
pact; convention; agreement
clause; article; stipulation
conclusion of a treaty; entering into a treaty
promise; pledge · abridge; simplify; shorten · reduce (mathematics)
sphincter; constrictor muscle
conclusion of a contract; closing a deal
prior engagement; previous appointment · prior agreement; previous promise; previous contract
divisor; factor