とにかく

と

に

か

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

1

adverb

anyway; anyhow; in any case

usually written using kana alone

Used to move a conversation forward, dismiss details, or state that something will be done regardless of circumstances.

とにかく

、

やっ

て

みよう

。

Anyway, let's give it a try.

理り由ゆうはともかく、とにかく謝あやまったほうがいい。

Whatever the reason, you should apologize anyway.

2

adverb

setting aside ...; regardless of ...

usually written using kana alone

Follows a noun or clause with は or なら to mean 'putting that aside' or 'no matter what happens with ...'.

結けっ果かはとにかく、努ど力りょくしたことが大たい切せつだ。
Regardless of the result, the effort you made is what matters.
見みた目めはとにかく、味あじはいい。
Appearance aside, it tastes good.

3

adverb

really; truly; definitely

usually written using kana alonecolloquial

Colloquial emphatic use, often expressing strong personal conviction or surprise. Common in casual speech.

あの映えい画が、とにかく面おも白しろかった！
That movie was really interesting!
彼かれの話はなしはとにかく長ながいんだよ。
His stories are just so long.

Usage patterns

とにかく〈動どう詞し〉to just do something anyway, setting details aside
詳くわしいことはあとで、とにかく早はやく行いこう。
Details later—let's just go quickly for now.
〈事こと〉はとにかくsetting X aside; regardless of X
味あじはとにかく、量りょうはとても多おおい。
Never mind the taste—the portion is huge.
とにかく〈形けい容よう詞し〉used to emphasize a strong feeling or judgment
今日きょうはとにかく暑あつい。
It's just really hot today.

Kanji

兎rabbit, hare
角angle, corner, square
左left
右right

Related words· 9

ともかくN3sense 1
とにかく and ともかく both mean 'anyway/in any case', but ともかく feels slightly more formal and is the more natural choice in the 〜はともかく construction.
いずれにせよ sense 1
いずれにせよ is a more formal, logical way of saying 'in any case' than the everyday とにかく.
いずれにしてもN1
とにかく is a casual way to push past obstacles and get to the point, while いずれにしても is more neutral and simply states that the conclusion holds regardless of circumstances.

Show 5 more

ともあれ
とにかく is more common in casual speech and can sound more forceful or dismissive, while ともあれ is slightly more formal and often used to transition after acknowledging a situation.
何なにしろN2
とにかく means 'anyway, in any case' and sets aside other considerations, while 何しろ specifically emphasizes a reason that explains what follows.
どうせN2
とにかく means 'anyway' in the sense of setting other concerns aside to focus on the main point, while どうせ conveys resignation that the outcome is already fixed.

Don't confuse with

とかくN1
とかく sounds and looks similar to とにかく but means 'somehow' or 'all too often', not 'anyway'.

Written forms

とにかくUsage98%
Standard modern spelling; the word is almost always written in kana.
兎とに角かくUsage2%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji spelling; rarely used and mainly encountered in older or stylized writing.
左右とにかく
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; easily confused with the common word 左右 (さゆう).

Etymology

Derived from the phrase とにもかくにも, a combination of the particles と and に with the adverbs と (thus) and かく (like this). The kanji spellings 兎に角 and 左右 are ateji and not related to the original meaning.

いずれN3

とにかく is the common everyday word for 'anyway/in any case', while いずれ in this sense sounds a bit more formal or literary.

何なに分ぶん

N2

とにかく is a plain, everyday word for 'anyway/at any rate', while 何分 carries a more apologetic or explanatory tone in formal speech.

なにせ

とにかく means 'anyway, in any case' and is used to set aside a topic or move the conversation forward, while なにせ specifically introduces the reason behind something already mentioned.