まさしく

ま

さ

し

く

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

usually written using kana alone

Expresses strong conviction or certainty about a statement. Often used to emphasize that something is indeed the case.

天てん

才さい

だ

。

He is undoubtedly a genius.

これはまさしく私わたしが探さがしていた本ほんです。

This is exactly the book I was looking for.

2

usually written using kana alone

Used to pinpoint identity or timing, emphasizing that something matches perfectly or occurs at that very moment.

まさしくその通とおりだthat's exactly right
彼かれの言いうことはまさしくその通とおりだった。
What he said was exactly right.
まさしく〈人ひと〉だit is definitely/exactly (that person)
あの後うしろ姿すがたはまさしく彼かれだ。
That figure from behind is definitely him.
まさしく〈時とき〉にat precisely that moment/time
彼かれが到とう着ちゃくしたのは、まさしくその瞬しゅん間かんだった。
He arrived at precisely that moment.

まさにN3
正に and まさしく both mean 'exactly/certainly', but まさしく sounds slightly more emphatic or formal than the more common 正に.
確たしかにN3sense 1
確かに expresses certainty based on evidence or memory, while まさしく conveys a more emphatic, subjective sense of 'indeed' or 'exactly'.
間ま違ちがいなく sense 1
間違いなく stresses the absence of error or doubt, whereas まさしく emphasizes a strong, almost declarative certainty.

正ただしく
正しく (ただしく) is the adverb form of 正しい meaning 'correctly', while まさしく (also sometimes written 正しく) means 'certainly/exactly' and is a different word entirely despite the shared kanji.

まさしくUsage79%
Usually written in kana. The kanji spelling 正しく is rare and easily confused with 正しく (ただしく).
正まさしくUsage21%
Kanji spelling is rare and easily confused with 正しく (ただしく).

Derived from the adverb 正に (まさに) with the emphatic suffix しく, reinforcing the meaning of 'exactly' or 'truly'.