ちっとも

ち

っ

と

も

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

adverb

(not) at all; (not) a bit; (not) in the least

usually written using kana alone

Always used with a negative predicate. Emphasizes that something is not the case even a little.

この映えい画

が

は

ちっとも

面おも

白しろ

く

なかっ

た

。

This movie wasn't interesting at all.

彼かれの言いっていることがちっとも分わからない。

I don't understand what he's saying at all.

Usage patterns

ちっとも〈動どう詞し〉ないto not do (something) at all
彼かれはちっとも勉べん強きょうしない。
He doesn't study at all.
ちっとも〈形けい容よう詞し〉くないto not be (adjective) in the least
この料りょう理りはちっとも辛からくない。
This dish isn't spicy at all.
ちっとも変かわらないto not change in the slightest
彼かの女じょは昔むかしからちっとも変かわらない。
She hasn't changed a bit since way back.

Kanji

些a little bit, sometimes

Related words

少すこしもN3
少しも is slightly more formal than ちっとも and can occasionally appear with affirmative predicates (少しも構わない), while ちっとも is always negative and colloquial.
全ぜん然ぜんN5
全然 is used the same way as ちっとも with negatives, but in casual speech 全然 can also modify positive predicates to mean 'totally', which ちっとも cannot.
さっぱりN3
さっぱり with a negative predicate means 'not at all', much like ちっとも, but さっぱり is often used to describe a total lack of feeling, understanding, or improvement.

Written forms

ちっともUsage100%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
些ちっともUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.

Etymology

Derived from ちっと (a variant of 少し) + も, with gemination for emphasis. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it has been used as a strong negative polarity adverb since at least the Edo period.