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山々 (やまやま, yamayama) Japanese meaning: mountains | Kotomora

山やま々やま

や

ま

や

ま

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

mountains; many mountains

Plural or collective use of 山, referring to a range, group, or many mountains rather than one mountain.

遠とおくに雪ゆきをかぶった山やま々やまが見みえる。

Snow-capped mountains can be seen in the distance.

2

would really like to; very much; really

usually written using kana alone

Most often used in patterns such as 〜たいのはやまやまだが or 欲しいのはやまやまだが, meaning that one strongly wants something but cannot do or have it.

手伝てつだいたいのはやまやまだが、今日きょうは時じ間かんがない。
I'd really like to help, but I don't have time today.

3

so many; a lot of

usually written using kana alone

Used adverbially for a large amount, especially in expressions like ことはやまやまある. This use is narrower than the very common 山ほど.

言いいたいことはやまやまあるが、今いまは黙だまっておく。
There are a lot of things I want to say, but for now I'll keep quiet.

Usage patterns

〈動詞どうし〉〉たいのは山々やまやまだがwould really like to ~, but (can't)
行いきたいのは山やま々やまだが、時じ間かんがない。
I'd really like to go, but I don't have the time.
〈事こと〉〉は山々やまやまあるthere are so many (things)
言いいたいことは山やま々やまあるが、今いまは黙だまっておく。
There are so many things I want to say, but I'll keep quiet for now.
山々やまやまに囲かこまれるto be surrounded by mountains
この村むらは山やま々やまに囲かこまれている。
This village is surrounded by mountains.
山々やまやまが連つらなるmountains stretch out in a range
遠とおくに山やま々やまが連つらなっているのが見みえる。
You can see mountains stretching out in the distance.

Kanji

山mountain

Related words

山やまほど sense 3
山ほど is the common, everyday way to say 'a huge amount', while 山々 is more limited and mainly appears in fixed phrases like ことは山々ある.
山さん脈みゃくN1sense 1
山脈 names a specific, continuous mountain range, whereas 山々 is a looser collective term for many mountains in general.

Don't confuse with

山やまN5sense 1
山 refers to a single mountain, while 山々 (the plural/collective form) means many mountains or a large quantity, and learners often overlook the reduplication's meaning shift.

Written forms

山やま々やまUsage91%
Standard kanji spelling using the iteration mark 々; especially natural for the noun meaning “mountains.”
やまやまUsage7%
Kana spelling is especially common for the adverbial senses.
山やま山やまUsage1%
Attested spelling without the iteration mark; less common than 山々 but understandable.
ヤマヤマUsage1%

Etymology

A reduplication of 山, with 々 marking repetition in the common spelling 山々. The adverbial meanings extend metaphorically from the idea of mountains or a great amount.