ひとしお

ひ

と

し

お

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

adverb

still more; especially; all the more

usually written using kana alone

Emphasizes that something is felt or noticed more strongly due to a particular situation or contrast. Often used with words like 感慨, 思い, or 美しさ.

雨あめの日ひの紅こう葉ようはひとしお美うつくしい。
The autumn leaves are especially beautiful on a rainy day.
久ひさしぶりに故こ郷きょうに帰かえって、感かん慨がいもひとしおだった。
Returning to my hometown after a long time, I felt all the more emotional.

See all 5 example sentences ›

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
入enter, insert

Related words

一いっ層そう
一層 is a more common and straightforward adverb meaning 'even more' or 'much more', while ひとしお carries a nuance of heightened feeling due to circumstances.
なおさら
なおさら means 'all the more' or 'still more', often used in logical or causal contexts, whereas ひとしお is more emotional and situational.

Word family

感慨一入かんがいひとしお
deeply moved; even more emotional

Built from

一ひと+入しお

Written forms

ひとしおUsage80%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 一入 is rare and may not be recognized by many readers.
一入ひとしおUsage20%
Rare kanji spelling; learners should use the kana form.

Etymology

Derived from 一 (ひと, 'one') and 入 (しお, an old counter for dyeing or soaking), originally referring to one more dip in dye to deepen the color. The modern adverbial sense developed from the idea of adding intensity.