単たんに

た

ん

に

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

Used to emphasize that something is nothing more than what is stated, often with a limiting or downplaying nuance. Common in both spoken and written Japanese.

それは単たんに噂うわさに過すぎない。

That's merely a rumor.

彼かれは単たんに冗じょう談だんを言いっただけだ。

He was only joking.

Usage patterns

単たんに〈事こと〉だけでなくnot just X (but also...)
これは単たんに見みた目めの問もん題だいだけでなく、機き能のうにも関かかわる。
This isn't just an issue of appearance, it also affects function.
単たんに〈事こと〉というだけでsimply/merely because of X
単たんに安やすいというだけで選えらんではいけない。
You shouldn't choose it simply because it's cheap.
単たんに〈物もの〉にすぎないto be nothing more than X
それは単たんに噂うわさにすぎない。
That's nothing more than a rumor.

Expressions

簡かん単たんに言いうとsimply put; in short; to put it simply
簡かん単たんに言いえばsimply put; in short

Kanji

単simple, one, single

Related words

ただN3
ただ is a casual, conversational way to say 'just/only', while 単に is a bit more formal and typical of written or explanatory Japanese.
単たんなるN3
単に is an adverb meaning 'simply/merely' used to modify verbs or clauses, whereas 単なる directly modifies a following noun.
あくまでも
単に is a neutral way to say 'simply', while あくまでも adds emphasis that something is strictly or purely the case, often to set a limit.
あくまでN2
単に means 'merely, simply' like the clarifying sense of あくまで, but lacks the nuance of firmly stating a limit or fact.

Don't confuse with

だけN5
だけ is a particle attached directly to nouns or clauses to mean 'only', whereas 単に is an adverb placed before a verb or adjective to mean 'simply/merely'.

Word family

いとも簡かん単たんに
very easily; with the greatest ease

Written forms

単たんにUsage89%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
たんにUsage11%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing or when avoiding kanji.

Etymology

Formed from the kanji 単 (simple/single) and the adverbial suffix に. The reading たん is the on'yomi of 単.