List of Japanese Words for "Very/Really": Synonyms of とても (totemo) : Takashi's Japanese Dictionary (Takashionary)

This post introduces Japanese intensifiers (from standard to slang words) meaning “very”, i.e. synonyms of とても!

Standard Words

とても/かなり: meaning “very”

かなり sounds slightly more intense than とても

{とても/かなり} 綺麗 (きれい): very beautiful

本当(ほんとう)に: meaning “really, truly “

本当の means “real” (e.g.) 本当の話(はなし): real story

本当にありがとう： I am truly thankful to you

Formal Words

非常（ひじょう）に: meaning “exceptionally”

“非” means “not” and “常” means “usual”

非常にすばらしい: exceptionally/really awesome

誠（まこと）に: “sincerely, really”

誠 (まこと) means “real/truth”

誠に申（もう）し訳（わけ）ありませんでした: I’m sincerrely/trully sorry

実(じつ)に: “really”

実 (じつ) means “real”

実においしい: really tasty

大変 (たいへん): meaning “really”

大変申し訳ありませんでした: I’m really sorry
大変驚(おど)いた: I was really surprised

物(もの)凄（すご）く: meaning “exceptionally, unbelivably”

More intense than 凄(すご)く

物凄く疲れた: I’m unbelievably tired

Casual/Slang Words

The level of casualness is described by the number of ★ (the more, the more casual)

めちゃ/めっちゃ: meaning “really”, ★

{めちゃ/めっちゃ}おいしい: really tasty

めちゃくちゃ: meaning “extremely”, ★

More intense than めちゃ

めちゃくちゃおいしい: extremely tasty

凄（すご）く/すげえ: meaning “really, amazingly”, ★/★★

すげえ is more casual and masculine than 凄い

{凄く/すげえ}おいしい: amazingly tasty

超 (ちょう): meaning “super, so”, ★★

超 (こ)える means “go beyond”

超おいしい: super tasty

超絶 (ちょうぜつ): meaning “super, wicked”, ★★★

Sounds more casual/younger than 超

超絶かわいい: super cute

マジ: meaning “really, so”, ★★

One of the most common Japanese slang words

マジ疲（つか）れた: I’m so tired
マジかわいい: so cute

ガチ: meaning “seriously”, ★★★

Sounds more casual yet serious than マジ; See also: Meanings and Differences of “ガチ (gachi)” and “マジ (maji)” in Japanese

ガチ疲（つか）れた: I’m so tired

やばい: meaning “really, amazingly”, ★★★

やばい is usually used as an adjective, but some young people use it as an adverb (intensifier)

やばいおいしい: amazingly tasty

鬼のように/鬼 (おに): meaning “extremely, like the devil”, ★/★★

鬼 is a Japanese mythical creature, often translated as “devil”

{鬼のように/鬼}疲(つか)れた: I’m so tired
{鬼のように/鬼}働 (はたら)いた: I worked like the devil
鬼かわいい: so cute

クソ: meaning “af”, ★★★

クソ means “sh*t”

クソうまい: tasty af
クソ疲れた: tired af

死ぬほど: meaning “really/so badly”, ★★

It literally means “as if one would die”.

死ぬほど~したい: I want to do ~ so badly
死ぬほど疲れた: I am tired af

激 (げき): ★★

Used in certain phrases, as follows:

激ウマ: “really tasty”
激マズ: “taste really bad”
激辛 (から): “really spicy
激太(ぶと)り: “become really fat”
激変(へん): “change dramatically”
激レア: “really rare/precious”
激安 (やす): “really cheap”

Kansai Dialect

ほんま（に）: meaning “really”

It is almost equivalent to 本当に in standard Japanese

ほんま/ほんまに疲れた: I’m really tired

エラい: meaning “really/more than usual”

エラい怒られた: I was really scolded
今日はえらい寒(さむ)いなぁ: Today is really cold
えらい元気（げんき）やな: you are so/unusually energetic