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追々 (おいおい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

追おい々おい

お

い

お

い

Meanings

1

adverb

gradually; little by little; step by step

Describes a process that unfolds over time, often with a sense of natural progression. Used in both formal and informal contexts.

追おい々おい、状じょう況きょうが明あきらかになるだろう。
Gradually, the situation will become clear.
新あたらしい仕し事ごとにも追おい々おい慣なれてきました。
I've been getting used to the new job little by little.

Written forms

追おい々おいUsage17%
Standard kanji spelling using the iteration mark 々.
おいおいUsage76%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing and when avoiding kanji.
追おい追おいUsage7%
Explicit repetition spelling; rarely used in modern writing.
追おい追おい
Alternative spelling without the iteration mark; less common but still seen.

Kanji

追chase, drive away, follow

Similar words

徐じょ々じょに
Both mean 'gradually', but 追々 often implies a natural, step-by-step progression over time, while 徐々に can be used for more deliberate, controlled changes.
段だん々だん
段々 is more common in everyday speech for gradual change, whereas 追々 carries a slightly more formal or literary tone.

Etymology

Reduplication of 追い (from 追う, 'to follow'), literally 'following following', expressing a step-by-step progression.