also: いよ · よ · いよよ
adverb
Archaic adverb meaning 'more and more' or 'increasingly'. In modern Japanese, いよいよ is used instead. Found in classical texts.
See also: 愈々 (いよいよ)
弥、弥、繁りに繁りて。
More and more, increasingly abundant.
adverb
Only with reading いや
Archaic intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'very', restricted to the reading いや. Not used in modern Japanese.
いや遠くの国より来たれり。
He came from a very distant land.
Standard modern kana spelling for the archaic adverb.
Archaic reduplicated form; modern equivalent is いよいよ.
Archaic variant reading; rarely encountered.
Alternate archaic kanji; even rarer than 弥.
Very rare abbreviated reading; mostly in old poetry.
Modern standard adverb meaning 'more and more' or 'at last'. Replaces the archaic いや/いよ/いよよ.
The historical derivation is uncertain. The kanji 弥 and 愈 are conventional spellings for the archaic adverb, not indicating a specific origin.