Japanese word

ううん

Pronunciation

Romajiūn

Meaning

  • interjectionno

Example

ううん、今日は行きません。ū n kyō wa i ki ma se n

No, I will not go today.

Illustration for ううん (no)

More examples

ううん、それは私の傘ではありません。ū n so re wa watashi no kasa de wa a ri ma se n

No, that is not my umbrella.

Core concept

Signals that the speaker does not accept or agree with what has just been said, usually in a familiar conversational tone.

Common phrases

  • ううん、まだū n ma da

    No, not yet

Similar words

いいえiie: An interjection that gives a negative answer in a polite manner.
いやiya: An informal interjection that expresses refusal or disagreement.

Definition in Japanese

相手の言葉や提案を受け入れないことを、親しい会話でやわらかく伝える語。ai te no koto ba ya tei an o u ke i re na i ko to o shita shi i kai wa de ya wa ra ka ku tsuta e ru go

Word origin

Japanese dictionaries treat ううん (ūn, "no") as an informal conversational interjection, but its precise historical formation remains uncertain.

Usage tips

  • The same form ううん (ūn) can sound gentle or emphatic depending on intonation, so the speaker's voice helps show how strong the refusal is.

Other meanings

  • uh-uhinterjection

Opposites

Word lists with this word