ようやく

よ

う

や

く

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

adverb

finally; at last

usually written using kana alone

Expresses that something long-awaited or expected has happened after a period of time or effort. Often carries a sense of relief.

長ながい冬ふゆが終おわり、ようやく春はるが来きた。
The long winter ended, and spring finally came.

何なん度ども失しっ敗ぱいしたが、ようやく成せい功こうした。

I failed many times, but I finally succeeded.

2

adverb

barely; narrowly; only just

usually written using kana alone

Indicates that something was achieved by a small margin, or that a minimal condition was just met. Often used with quantities or time limits.

終しゅう電でんにようやく間まに合あった。
I barely caught the last train.
貯ちょ金きんがようやく10万まん円えんになった。
My savings have only just reached 100,000 yen.

3

adverb

gradually; little by little

usually written using kana alone

Describes a slow, progressive change over time. Less common than the 'finally' sense, and often replaced by だんだん or 徐々に in modern speech.

空そらがようやく明あかるくなってきた。
The sky gradually grew brighter.

Written forms

ようやくUsage96%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 漸く is rare.
漸ようやくUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.

Kanji

漸steadily, gradually advancing, finally

Similar words

やっと
More colloquial and emphatic than ようやく, often used for relief after a struggle. ようやく is slightly more formal and can also express gradual change.
だんだん
Common word for 'gradually'; ようやく in its gradual sense is less frequent and more literary.
ついに
Means 'finally' or 'in the end', often with a sense of inevitability or after a long process. ようやく emphasizes the moment of arrival after waiting or effort.

Etymology

Derived from the reduplication of the old Japanese adverb よう (meaning 'gradually' or 'at last'), with the suffix やく. The kanji 漸 is an ateji borrowing from Chinese, where it means 'gradually'.