必かならず

か

な

ら

ず

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

Expresses strong certainty or obligation: something will definitely happen or must be done. Often used in rules, promises, and predictions.

宿しゅく題だいは必かならず提てい出しゅつしてください。
Please be sure to submit your homework.
彼かれは約やく束そくしたことは必かならず守まもる。
He always keeps his promises.

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Usage patterns

〈事こと〉を必かならず〈動どう詞し〉to be sure to do something without fail
約やく束そくは必かならず守まもります。
I will definitely keep my promise.
必かならず〜てくださいplease be sure to do something
明日あしたは必かならず九く時じに来きてください。
Please be sure to come at nine o'clock tomorrow.
〈事こと〉は必かならず〈事こと〉one thing is always followed by or true of another
春はるが来くれば、必かならず桜さくらが咲さく。
When spring comes, the cherry blossoms are sure to bloom.

Expressions

生せいある者ものは必かならず死しありall living things must die; no mortal escapes death
徳とくは孤こならず必かならず隣となりありvirtue never stands alone; a virtuous person will always find companions
三さん人にん行ゆけば必かならず我わが師し有ありyou can learn from anyone
積せき善ぜんの家いえには必かならず余よ慶けいありa virtuous family enjoys long prosperity; good deeds bring blessings to one's descendants
積せき不ふ善ぜんの家いえには必かならず余よ殃おうありevil deeds bring retribution on one's descendants

Kanji

必invariably, certain, inevitable

Related words· 9

絶ぜっ対たいにN3
絶対に is more emphatic and often used in negative or strongly personal statements, while 必ず is neutral and used for rules, promises, or predictions.
きっとN5
きっと expresses the speaker's personal conviction or hope ('I'm sure'), whereas 必ず states something as an objective certainty or obligation.
是ぜ非ひN5
必ず means 'without fail' in an objective, factual sense, while 是非 expresses the speaker's own strong wish or urging.
決きまってN2
必ず is a neutral word for 'definitely, without exception', while 決まって often implies a predictable, sometimes annoying pattern.

Show 5 more

絶ぜっ対たいN4
必ず is an adverb meaning 'without fail' or 'always', often used for rules or natural consequences, while 絶対(に) is stronger and more subjective, expressing personal conviction or an unconditional demand.
一いち定じょうN1
必ず is the everyday modern word for 'certainly/without fail', while 一定 is a dated literary adverb with the same meaning.
是ぜ非ひともN3
是非とも expresses an urgent wish or request (please do this), while 必ず emphasizes certainty that something will happen without fail.
間ま違ちがいない
必ず is an adverb meaning 'without fail', focusing on inevitability, while 間違いない is an adjective-like expression stressing certainty of truth.
ぜひぜひ
必ず stresses certainty or inevitability ('without exception'), while 是非是非 stresses the speaker's strong personal desire or invitation.

Don't confuse with

必かならずしもN3
必ず means 'always' or 'without fail' in affirmative sentences, while 必ずしも is used only with negatives to mean 'not necessarily'.
てっきりN2
必ず means 'without fail' and states an objective certainty or rule, whereas てっきり marks a subjective assumption that turns out to be wrong.

Word family

必かならずしもN3
not always; not necessarily; not entirely
必かならずや
certainly; surely; definitely

Written forms

必かならずUsage92%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency word in both written and spoken Japanese.
かならずUsage8%
Kana spelling is common in informal writing, children's materials, and when emphasis is desired.

Etymology

A native Japanese adverb attested in Old Japanese as かならず. 必 is a semantic spelling; ず is not the negative auxiliary or an independently added adverbial suffix.