まあ
まあ · maa · JLPT N3 · adverb
well (used when making a modest or hesitant statement)
🤷 まあ sounds like a shrugging meh: a soft, unsure ma-a before you answer
Stretch the vowel out, maaa, the way English speakers stall with um or meh. It softens what comes next: まあまあ means so-so, and まあ、いいか means well, I guess it's fine.