Related words 率そっ 直ちょく 率直 is the common, everyday word for 'frank' or 'straightforward'. 諤々 is more literary and emphasizes outspokenness with a bold, sometimes argumentative nuance.
直ちょく 言げん 直言 means 'speaking plainly' or 'telling it like it is', often used as a noun or する verb. 諤々 is an adjective/adverb and carries a more classical, forceful tone.
Written forms 諤がく 々がく Usage 23%
Standard kanji spelling using the repetition mark 々 .
がくがく Usage 41%
Kana spelling used when the kanji are obscure or for emphasis in informal writing.
ガクガク Usage 29%
諤がく 諤がく Usage 7%
Variant spelling without the repetition mark; less common but still encountered.
Etymology The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 諤 means 'speaking honestly' or 'outspoken', and the reduplication intensifies the meaning. It is a literary Sino-Japanese word.
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