まあまあ~
maa maa~
Formation
まあまあ (used as an adverb or short expression - not a strict grammatical construction)
Expresses something as 'so-so', 'not bad', or 'average'.
Explanation
The expression まあまあ is used to describe something that is neither particularly good nor bad, but rather average or 'so-so'. It is a neutral term and can be used in various contexts when discussing quality, feelings, or situations.
Example sentences
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His cooking skills are so-so.
Kare no ryouri no udemae wa maa maa desu.
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The weather today is not bad, huh?
Kyou no tenki wa maa maa desu ne.
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That movie was somewhat interesting.
Ano eiga wa maa maa omoshirokatta desu.
-
I think her singing is not bad.
Kanojo no uta wa maa maa jouzu da to omoimasu.
Corpus examples (18)
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Farmed fish are cheaper than wild ones and the taste is only "so-so".
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His English is quite good.
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Her musical talent was indifferent.
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He gets a reasonable salary as a bank clerk.
「研究はどうですか」「まあまあです」
"How's your research coming along?" "Not so bad."
-
I sort of like him.
まあまあなんて細い腰なの!お顔も小さくて、本当にお人形さんみたい!
My what a narrow waist! Her face is small, she really looks just like a doll!
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All things considered, she is a fairly good wife.
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There was a modest rise in prices last year.
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Tom was kind of cute when he was a kid.
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I'm in fair shape.
私はスタイルがまあまあです。
I'm in fair shape.
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He got a fair mark in the examination.
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He hasn't done badly, all in all.
先生としては、まあまあだね。
As a teacher, he's only so-so.
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"How do you find your washing-machine?" "Not so bad."
まあまあ、そう怒らないでくださいな。
Now, please don't get so angry.
まあまあ、落ち着けよ。
Now, now, just calm down.