Japanese word

ノー

Pronunciation

Romajinō

Meaning

  • interjectionno

Example

彼はノーと言いました。kare wa nō to i i ma shi ta

He said no.

Illustration for ノー (no)

More examples

彼は笑顔でノーと首を振りました。kare wa e gao de nō to kubi o fu ri ma shi ta

He smiled and shook his head no.

Core concept

It sets a firm boundary against accepting a proposal, request, or claim.

Common phrases

  • ノー、結構ですnō kek kō de su

    No, thank you

Similar words

いいえiie: An interjection that denies or contradicts something in a polite manner.
いやiya: A direct interjection used to reject a proposal, request, or claim.
ううんūn: An informal interjection used to give a negative answer.

Definition in Japanese

相手の申し出や意見などを受け入れない気持ちを表す語。ai te no mō shi de ya i ken na do o u ke i re na i ki mo chi o arawa su go

Word origin

Japanese ノー (nō, "no") comes from English no and retains its use as a spoken refusal.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, ノー (nō) can stand alone as a clear refusal, while the surrounding situation shows what is being refused.

Opposites

Word lists with this word