かねがね

か

ね

が

ね

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

adverb

for some time now; already; since long ago

usually written using kana alone

Expresses that something has been the case for a while, often with a nuance of having felt or thought something for some time. Used in formal or written contexts.

かねがねお噂うわさは

伺うかが

っ

て

おり

まし

た

。

I have heard about you for some time now.

その問もん題だいについてはかねがね疑ぎ問もんに思おもっていた。

I had been wondering about that issue for quite a while.

Usage patterns

かねがね〈事こと〉を伺うかがうto have heard about something for some time (polite/humble)
かねがねお噂うわさはうかがっておりました。
I have heard about you for some time now.
かねがね〈事こと〉と思おもうto have thought something for a long time
かねがね一いち度どお会あいしたいと思おもっておりました。
I had been wanting to meet you for quite some time.

Kanji

兼concurrently, and, beforehand
予beforehand, previous, myself

Related words

前まえ々まえから
前々から is casual, everyday phrasing for 'since a while ago', whereas かねがね is formal and often used in set phrases like かねがねお噂は伺っておりました.
かねてN1
かねて and かねがね both mean 'for some time now' in formal writing, but かねて is slightly more common in written business Japanese while かねがね is often paired with verbs of hearing or thinking.

Written forms

かねがねUsage98%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 兼々, 予々, 兼兼, 予予, 兼ね兼ね are rare and mostly seen in older texts.
予かね予がねUsage1%
Rare kanji spelling; may be encountered in formal or literary contexts.
予かね々がねUsage1%
Rare kanji spelling; may be encountered in formal or literary contexts.
兼かね々がね
Rare kanji spelling; may be encountered in formal or literary contexts.

Etymology

A reduplicated form of かね, “previously” or “for some time,” also found in かねて. The repetition emphasizes that something has continued or been known for a considerable time.

兼かね兼がね

Rare kanji spelling; may be encountered in formal or literary contexts.

兼かね兼がね

Rare kanji spelling; may be encountered in formal or literary contexts.