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I recently came across this phrase

> しばらくは呆れていましたが、 **なるほど** 考えてみると

My questions are:

  1. What is the meaning of this なるほど?

  2. Why なるほど means "I understand" when used in isolation?
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2023-08-10T11:42:24.893
100605
2023-08-10T16:12:50.243
2023-08-10T16:12:50.243
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question
grammar meaning set-phrases
なるほど why it means "I understand" and usage as an adverb
First, there is なる(動詞連体形)+ほど(副助詞) and なるほど(adverb), each with its own pitch
pattern. The latter probably derives from the former.

> 死にたく{LHHH} なる{HL} ほど{LH} 恥ずかしい{LHHHL}。

> 駅に近くなるほど家賃は高くなる。
>
> えきに{HLL} ちかく{LHL} なる{HL} ほど{LH} やちんは{HLLL} たかく{HLL} なる{HL}。

> なるほど確かにそうだ。
>
> なるほど{LHHH} たしかに{HLLL} そうだ{HLL}。

なるほど(adverb) was originally synonymous with なるべく and なるたけ (as … as one can).
([精選版 日本国語大辞典](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%88%90%E7%A8%8B-2068718))

I can only guess how the contemporary senses of なるほど arose, but maybe it first
got the transferred sense of `as … as it could be` and used as in なるほど確か or
なるほど尤も, meaning you are quite right, and なるほど came to mean such even by
itself.
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2023-08-10T15:51:18.340
100606
2023-08-10T15:51:18.340
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100605
answer