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あながち〜ない

not necessarily, not entirely

あながち + negative (〜ない・〜とは言えない)

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あながち always comes with a negative and means "not necessarily, not entirely": 彼の話もあながち嘘ではない, "what he says isn't necessarily a lie".

It rescues an idea that people might dismiss too quickly. There's usually a hint that you thought it was wrong at first, but on reflection there's some truth to it.

Typical endings are 〜ではない, 〜とは言えない, 〜とは限らない and 無理はない ("it's not unreasonable").

It's close to 必ずしも〜ない, which is more neutral and logical. あながち has more of a "you can't just dismiss it" feeling. Don't use it with a positive verb: あながち正しい is wrong. And don't confuse it with まったく〜ない, "not at all", which is the opposite strength.

Examples

  • 彼かれの話はなしもあながち嘘うそではない。

    What he says isn't necessarily a lie.

  • その考かんがえはあながち間違まちがいとは言いえない。

    That idea can't necessarily be called wrong.

  • あの噂うわさもあながち的外まとはずれではなかった。

    That rumour wasn't entirely off the mark.

  • 値段ねだんが高たかいものがあながち良よいものとは限かぎらない。

    Expensive things aren't necessarily good things.

  • 彼かれが怒おこるのもあながち無理むりはない。

    It's not entirely unreasonable for him to be angry.

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