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じゅう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.

Usage patterns

ようやく〈動どう詞し〉to finally do something after waiting or effort
長ながい間あいだ待まって、ようやく電でん車しゃが来きた。
After a long wait, the train finally came.
〈数かず〉〉にようやく達たっするto barely reach a certain number or amount
参さん加か者しゃはようやく十じゅう人にんに達たっした。
The number of participants barely reached ten.
ようやく〈形けい容よう詞し〉になるto gradually become (a certain state)
空そらがようやく明あかるくなってきた。
The sky gradually began to grow bright.

Kanji

漸steadily, gradually advancing, finally

Related words

やっとN4sense 1
やっと is more colloquial and emphasizes relief after a struggle, while ようやく is slightly more formal and can also describe gradual change.
ついにN3sense 1
ついに stresses the inevitability of a long-awaited outcome, whereas ようやく focuses on the relief of finally reaching it after effort or waiting.
だんだんN5sense 3
だんだん is the common, everyday word for 'gradually', while ようやく's gradual sense is rarer and sounds more literary.
徐じょ々じょにN3sense 3
徐々に is a more formal, written equivalent of ようやく's 'gradually' sense, used for slow, steady change.

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.

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'.