easily; comfortably; well over
Used with quantities to indicate that a number or amount is reached or exceeded with room to spare. Often translates as 'a good ...', 'no less than ...', or 'easily ...'.
その荷物は優に20キロはある。
That luggage easily weighs 20 kilograms.
会場には優に1000人以上の人が集まった。
Well over 1,000 people gathered at the venue.
彼の年収は優に1000万円を超える。
His annual income comfortably exceeds 10 million yen.
Standard kanji spelling; the most frequent form in modern writing.
Kana spelling is common and avoids kanji confusion.
Irregular kanji usage; occasionally seen but not standard. Learners should use 優に.
Derived from the kanji 優 (yū, 'superior, gentle') used adverbially. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it has been used since at least the Edo period to express abundance or ease in reaching a quantity.