Japanese word

言い訳

Pronunciation

Romajiiiwake

Meaning

  • nounexcuse

Example

彼は遅刻の言い訳をしました。kare wa chi koku no i i wake o shi ma shi ta

He made an excuse for being late.

Illustration for 言い訳 (excuse)

More examples

まずは言い訳をせずに謝りましょう。ma zu wa i i wake o se zu ni ayama ri ma shō

Let's apologize first without making excuses.

Core concept

Centers on giving a stated reason for an action, often to make it seem understandable or acceptable.

Common phrases

  • 言い訳をするi i wake o su ru

    make an excuse

  • 言い訳にならないi i wake ni na ra na i

    not be an excuse

Similar words

弁解benkai: A stated explanation intended to defend conduct that has been questioned.
口実kōjitsu: A convenient reason used to conceal a real purpose or escape a duty.
弁明benmei: A formal statement explaining and defending conduct that has been criticized.
言い分iibun: A person's account of a situation or position in a disagreement.

Definition in Japanese

自分の行動や失敗について、責任を軽くするために述べる理由。ji bun no kō dō ya ship pai ni tsu i te seki nin o karu ku su ru ta me ni no be ru ri yū

Word origin

The native Japanese word 言い訳 (iiwake) combines 言い (ii), the continuative form of 言う (iu, "to say"), with 訳 (wake, "reason").

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, calling an explanation 言い訳 (iiwake) can signal doubt about whether it fully accounts for what happened.

Other meanings

  • justificationnoun

Related words

  • 言い訳するiiwakesurumake excusesverb
  • 言い訳がましいiiwakegamashiiexcuse-makingna-adjective

Word lists with this word