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どっこいどっこい Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Meanings 1
na-adjective
about the same ; neck and neck ; close match
Colloquial expression used when two things or people are very similar in ability, quality, or degree, with no clear winner. Often used in casual comparisons.
。
The prices are about the same, but this one has a better design.
Similar words 互ご 角かく 互角 is a more formal noun/adjectival noun meaning 'evenly matched', often used in serious contexts like sports or games. どっこいどっこい is casual and colloquial.
五ご 分ぶ 五ご 分ぶ 五分五分 also means 'fifty-fifty' or 'evenly split', but can refer to chances or probabilities, while どっこいどっこい emphasizes a close comparison of quality or ability.
Etymology The origin is uncertain, but it is likely a reduplicative mimetic or emphatic expression. The repetition of どっこい, itself an interjection used when lifting something heavy or in sumo, may have evolved to convey a sense of balance or stalemate.
