おおよそ
Approximately, Roughly, About, Outline, Gist
Structure
(1)およそ
Explanation
およそ and おおよそ, which can also be written with kanji as 凡そ and 大凡, are adverbs that convey the idea of 'about' or 'around'. These terms are typically found in more formal speech and writing, and are common in public announcements.
Since おおよそ is an adverb that most often quantifies time or distance, it is generally placed at the beginning of the sentence.
- ここからハワイまでは飛行機でおよそ８時間かかります。It takes approximately 8 hours to get to Hawaii from here by plane.
- プロジェクトはおおよそ完成しましたが、まだ細かい修正が必要です。The project is mostly complete, but it still needs some minor adjustments.
Fun-fact
The kanji 凡 carries the meaning of 'general' or 'ordinary' and can also be interpreted as 'generally speaking'. This usage implies that a statement is true for the most part, but allows for exceptions.
- コンビニでは、凡そ生活に必要なものは何でもそろっている。Generally speaking, convenience stores have everything you need for daily life.
Examples
このプロジェクトの費用はおよそ５００万円かかります。
This project will cost approximately 5 million yen.
彼の話で、事件の流れはおおよそ理解できた。
From his story, I was able to get a general understanding of how the incident unfolded.
生まれたばかりの赤ちゃんはおよそ３キロだった。
The newborn baby weighed about 3 kilograms.
まずはおおよその日程を決めましょう。
First, let's decide on a rough schedule.
アンケートに答えた人のおよそ８割が「はい」と回答した。
Approximately 80% of the people who answered the survey responded 'yes'.
宿題はおおよそ終わりました。
My homework is mostly finished.
この山の高さはおよそ２０００メートルです。
The height of this mountain is approximately 2,000 meters.
この町の人口はおおよそ三万人だ。
The population of this town is roughly 30,000 people.
会場の広さはおよそテニスコート二つ分くらいだった。
The size of the venue was about the same as two tennis courts.
このお城はおおよそ４００年前に建てられた。
This castle was built approximately 400 years ago.
およその見込みは立っているが、まだ確実ではない。
I have a rough forecast, but it's not certain yet.
コンサートはおおよそ３時間で終わるでしょう。
The concert will probably end in about 3 hours.