かつて

か

つ

て

Common word›JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

once; before; formerly; ever

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a past time or a previous state; often used in statements about something that was true in the past but is no longer the case. Can also mean 'ever' in questions.

かつてここは海うみだった。

This place was once a sea.

彼かれはかつて有ゆう名めいな歌か手しゅだった。

He was once a famous singer.

adverb, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

never yet; never before; first time

usually written using kana alone

Used with a negative verb to express that something has never happened before; emphasizes the absence of prior experience.

こんなに美うつくしい景色けしきはかつて見みたことがない。
I have never seen such a beautiful view before.
彼かれはかつて嘘うそをついたことがない。
He has never told a lie.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉にはかつて〈物もの〉があったthere used to be something in a place
この場ば所しょにはかつて大おおきな工こう場じょうがあった。
There used to be a big factory in this place.
かつて〈動どう詞し〉たことがないto have never done something before
このような事じ件けんはかつて起おきたことがない。
An incident like this has never happened before.
かつての〈人ひと〉a former (person)
彼かれはかつての同どう僚りょうだ。
He is a former colleague of mine.

Expressions

かつてないunprecedented; never seen before

Kanji

嘗once, before, formerly
曾once, before, formerly
曽formerly, once, before
都metropolis, capital, all

Related words· 6

以い前ぜんN3sense 1
以前 is a neutral word for 'before' or 'previously' used in many temporal comparisons, while かつて specifically frames a past state that no longer holds true.
今いままでN1sense 2
今まで means 'up until now' and centers on the span leading to the present, while かつて with a negative verb stresses that something has never occurred at any point in the past.
昔むかしN4sense 1
昔 refers broadly to 'the old days' or a distant past era, whereas かつて is used more narrowly to mark a specific past state or experience that has since changed.
ひところN1
一頃 is conversational and highlights a past period that contrasts with the present, while かつて is more formal or literary and often used for historical facts.

Show 2 more

当とう時じN3
当時 is tied to a specific past period given by context, whereas かつて is more literary and simply means 'once, formerly' without needing a stated period.
一いち時じN4
かつて is a literary word for 'once, in the past' with no clock-related meaning, while 一時 covers both 'formerly' and 'one o'clock' among other senses.

Written forms

かつてUsage97%
Standard modern spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
かってUsage1%
曾かつてUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.
嘗てUsage1%

Etymology

Derived from classical Japanese; the exact origin is uncertain, but it has been used since the Heian period to mean 'once' or 'formerly'.

Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.

rarely-used kanji form

かつて
Rare kanji form; learners will almost always encounter the kana spelling.
かって

曽てUsage<1%Usage for this spelling across all readings, not one reading alone.

rarely-used kanji form

かつて
Rare kanji form.
かって

都て

rarely-used kanji form

かつて
Rare kanji form.
かって