Usage patterns ひたすら 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do (something) single-mindedly, with total focus
He kept studying single-mindedly, without a break.
ひたすら 〈 事こと 〉 を 願ねが う to earnestly wish for something
I earnestly hoped for my family's safety.
ひたすら 謝あやま る to apologize profusely and repeatedly
She kept apologizing over and over.
Kanji 管 pipe, tube, wind instrument 頓 suddenly, immediately, in a hurry Related words· 6 一心に emphasizes concentrated mental or emotional dedication, while ひたすら stresses continuous, unwavering focus on a single action.
もっぱら means 'mainly' or 'exclusively', describing a habitual tendency, while ひたすら conveys intense, single-minded devotion to a specific act.
一生懸命 highlights effort and hard work put into a task, whereas ひたすら focuses on undivided, repetitive concentration on one thing.
ひたすら is the natural modern word for doing something single-mindedly, corresponding to the rare, old-fashioned 'earnestly' sense of 一向に .
Show 2 more Show fewer ひたすら stresses single-minded devotion to one activity, while ただただ stresses that a feeling or state is nothing but one thing, often with strong emotional color.
ひたすら is the natural modern word for doing something single-mindedly, while the same meaning of 一向 is an older, less-used literary sense.
Written forms ひたすら Usage 100%
Kana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
只管ひたすら Usage <1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; may be encountered in older or literary texts.
一向ひたすら
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form; not to be confused with 一向 (いっこう ).
頓ひたすら
rarely-used kanji form
Very rare single-kanji form; archaic or highly literary.
Etymology The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the classical Japanese adjective ひたし (direct, straightforward), but the exact derivation is unclear.
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