ちっとも

ち

っ

と

も

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

adverb

(not) at all; (not) a bit; (not) in the least

usually written using kana alone

Always used with a negative predicate. Emphasizes that something is not the case even a little.

この映えい画がはちっとも面おも白しろくなかった。
This movie wasn't interesting at all.

彼かれの言いっていることがちっとも分わからない。

I don't understand what he's saying at all.

Written forms

ちっともUsage100%
Standard kana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
些ちっともUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.

Kanji

些a little bit, sometimes

Similar words

少すこしも
Similar meaning, but 少しも is slightly more formal and can be used in both positive and negative contexts, while ちっとも is only negative and more colloquial.
全ぜん然ぜん
Both mean 'not at all' with negatives, but 全然 can also be used informally with positive predicates to mean 'totally', which ちっとも cannot.

Etymology

Derived from ちっと (a variant of 少し) + も, with gemination for emphasis. The exact historical development is uncertain, but it has been used as a strong negative polarity adverb since at least the Edo period.