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遅かれ早かれ (おそかれはやかれ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

遅おそかれ早はやかれ

お

そ

か

れ

は

や

か

れ

JLPTN1

Meanings

1

expression, adverb

sooner or later

Set phrase meaning that something is inevitable and will happen at some point in the future, though the exact timing is unknown.

遅おそかれ早はやかれ、真しん実じつは明あきらかになるだろう。
Sooner or later, the truth will come out.
遅おそかれ早はやかれ、彼かれは自じ分ぶんの

間ま

違ちが

い

に

気き

づく

はず

だ

。

Sooner or later, he should realize his mistake.

Kanji

遅slow, late, back
早early, fast

Similar words

いずれ
いずれ also means 'sooner or later' or 'eventually', but is a single adverb and can sound slightly more formal or literary. 遅かれ早かれ emphasizes the inevitability regardless of timing.
早そう晩ばん
早晩 is a more formal, written-style adverb meaning 'sooner or later', often used in news or essays. 遅かれ早かれ is more conversational.

Etymology

A set phrase combining the classical adjective endings 遅かれ (late) and 早かれ (early), literally 'whether late or early'. The construction uses the かれ form of adjectives, an old conditional/contrastive pattern meaning 'whether X or Y'.