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Japanese

えめに

ひかえめにいう
Meaning: to put it mildly; speaking modestly
Part of Speech: Expression

Listen to pronunciation

Example

控えめに言うと、彼の新作は傑作だ。
To put it mildly, his new work is a masterpiece.

Usage Notes

This expression introduces an intentionally restrained evaluation, often before a statement that is actually quite strong.

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