しばしば

し

ば

し

ば

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

adverb

usually written using kana aloneonomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes an action or state that occurs many times. Slightly more formal or written than たびたび, but common in everyday speech as well.

しばしばUsage100%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 屡々, 屡 etc. are rare and literary.
屡しば々しばUsage<1%
Rare kanji form; mainly encountered in older or formal writing.
屡しばしば
Single-character variant; very rare.
数しば々しば
Ateji-like spelling; not standard for this reading. Included for search coverage.
屡しば屡しば
数しばしば
数しば数しば

たびたび
Both mean 'often', but たびたび is slightly more casual and often implies repeated occurrences within a shorter time frame. しばしば is more neutral and can be used in formal contexts.
よく
よく is the most common and casual word for 'often'. しばしば is more emphatic about repetition and less frequent in casual conversation.

Reduplication of しば (archaic adverb meaning 'repeatedly'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it is considered a native mimetic adverb.