The Meaning of aikawarazu [相変わらず] In Japanese

相変わらず
あいかわらず
Romaji: aikawarazu N3

What does 相変わらず mean?

Translation and Meaning

as usual, unchanged, still the same

Definition

相変わらず means ‘as usual’ or ‘unchanged.’ It is used to note that a situation, behavior, or condition remains the same as before, despite expectations or time passing.

Type

adverbial phrase (adverb) (日本語: 副詞・慣用句)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • as always, in the same manner
  • unchanged or not altered; persistent state
  • ongoing situation described as ‘still the same’ over time

Etymology

相 indicates appearance or state, contributing the sense of a condition being observed; 変 means change; the aikawarazu reading shows how the two kanji pair with the auxiliary ず to form a negative adverbial meaning ‘not changing’; phonetic stability arises as 変わる loses its final る in the fixed expression, yielding aikawarazu as the common pronunciation

Composition

  • 相: appearance, state
  • 变: change
  • わらず: negative adverbial form of 変わる meaning ‘not changing’

Usage

Used in casual and semi-formal discourse to remark that a situation or person’s behavior remains the same; typically follows a topic about ongoing state; can appear in written notes or informal correspondence; less common in highly formal contexts.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture two observers (相) watching a scene that could change (変) but, actively choosing not to react, it stays the same (わらず); this helps recall the concept of remaining unchanged

Variations

  • いつも通り (itsumo-dori) — as usual; neutral nuance
  • 同じく (onajiku) — in the same manner; close semantic shade
  • 変わる (kawaru) — to change; antonym showing the opposite idea

Example Phrases

  • 相変わらず、朝はコーヒーを飲んでから出勤する。
    Aikawarazu, asa wa kōhī o nonde kara shukkin suru.
    As usual, I go to work after drinking coffee in the morning.
    Lista:
    • 相変わらず (aikawarazu) – as usual
    • 朝は (asa wa) – in the morning
    • コーヒーを (kōhī o) – coffee
    • 飲んでから (nonde kara) – after drinking
    • 出勤する (shukkin suru) – go to work
    「相変わらず」 means ‘as usual’ and functions as an adverb indicating a habitual action.
相変わらず