「別に」

qianyuxuan · 30 Nov 2006

I know that 「別に」 can have different meaning, depending on the context.

Is this phrase common in everyday conversations?

Thanks

Damicci · 1 Dec 2006

It can be common. Really depends on the conversation.
But I can't think of another word that people use in it it's place.

Elizabeth · 1 Dec 2006

Do you mean used alone, as in "betsu ni" meaning "It doesn't matter, either way is fine" etc or in some larger context ?

qianyuxuan · 1 Dec 2006

Elizabeth said:
Do you mean used alone, as in "betsu ni" meaning "It doesn't matter, either way is fine" etc or in some larger context ?

I meant both, used alone and in larger context.

I know that if used alone, it would sound quite rude...

Elizabeth · 3 Dec 2006

qianyuxuan said:
I meant both, used alone and in larger context.
I know that if used alone, it would sound quite rude...

I don't think 別に is necessarily always rude alone and is actually no problem between good friends.

It also isn't necessarily uncommon to use 別に in everyday speech or a term reserved for formal conversation or anything like that. The closest difference in English is making it "aside from" or "apart from" instead of "besides" "other than" or "except for."

I hear "hoka" or "igai" for these more often but I'm not really sure if this is what you're asking....
If you had a more concrete example that would help a lot.

「別に」

qianyuxuan

後輩

Damicci

先輩

Elizabeth

先輩

qianyuxuan

後輩

Elizabeth

先輩

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