やはり（やはり、yahari）
- as expected

The Japanese word やはりやはり is a versatile adverb that expresses a variety of meanings, often related to the confirmation of expectations, the recognition of a familiar pattern, or a return to a previous state or thought. It implies a sense of inevitability, predictability, or a feeling of "as expected". It can also express a sense of "after all," "still," or "even so." It suggests that something turned out as anticipated or that a previous belief or situation is confirmed.

⚫︎ やはり、彼は来なかった。 Translation: As expected, he didn't come. ⚫︎ やはり、この映画は面白かった。 Translation: This movie was, after all, interesting. ⚫︎ やはり、夏は暑い。 Translation: Summer is, as always, hot.

⚫︎ やはりやはり is used in various conversational contexts. ⚫︎ It's often used at the beginning of a sentence to emphasize a conclusion or realization. ⚫︎ It can also be placed mid-sentence to add emphasis or to connect ideas. ⚫︎ The tone can range from casual to formal, depending on the context and the speaker's intentions. ⚫︎ It's common in situations where something unfolds as anticipated or when a belief is confirmed.

⚫︎ やはりやはり is primarily written in hiragana. ⚫︎ While the kanji form 矢張り矢張りexists, it is much less common and considered somewhat archaic. ⚫︎ There are no significant variations in okurigana.

⚫︎ やっぱり (more casual, similar meaning) ⚫︎ 案の定 (literally "as expected," more formal) ⚫︎ 結局 (in the end, after all) ⚫︎ 果して (as expected; more formal)

There aren't direct antonyms, as やはりやはり expresses confirmation. However, words that suggest the opposite, such as unexpected outcomes, could be considered related.

やはり、あのレストランは美味しい料理を出した。 ・Translation: As I thought, that restaurant served delicious food. ・Explanation: This sentence confirms the speaker's expectation that the restaurant's food would be good.

試験は難しかったけど、やはり彼は合格した。 ・Translation: The exam was difficult, but, as expected, he passed. ・Explanation: This sentence conveys that despite the exam's difficulty, the person succeeded, which was expected.

The etymology of やはりやはり is not definitively known, but it is believed to be derived from the word 矢張り矢張り, with 矢 meaning "arrow" and 張る meaning "to stretch" or "to spread." This suggests an idea of something extending or stretching to its expected conclusion. Over time, the kanji form became less common, and it is usually written in hiragana as やはりやはり.