B1 Expression Formal

もう十分です

Mou juubun desu

That's enough

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A versatile, polite way to say 'I've had enough' or 'No more, thank you' in social and professional settings.

  • Means: 'Already sufficient' or 'I am satisfied with what I have.'
  • Used in: Declining food, ending a task, or setting personal boundaries.
  • Don't confuse: With '{少|すこ}し' (a little) or '{全|まった}く' (not at all).
✋ + 😊 + ✨ = {もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です

Explanation at your level:

This phrase is like saying 'No more' or 'I am full.' Use it when someone gives you too much water or food. 'Mou' means 'already.' 'Juubun' means 'enough.' 'Desu' makes it polite. It is a very useful phrase for travelers in Japan who are eating at restaurants or friends' houses.
At the A2 level, you can use this phrase to politely decline offers. It is more specific than just saying 'No.' It tells the other person that you are satisfied with what you have already received. You can use it for food, drinks, or even help. Remember to smile when you say it so you don't sound like you are complaining.
For intermediate learners, '{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です}' is an essential tool for managing social boundaries. It functions as a polite refusal that acknowledges the other person's effort. It is particularly effective in workplace settings when you want to signal that you have enough information to proceed with a task. Understanding the nuance between this and '{結構|けっこう}です' (which is more of a 'No thank you') is key at this level.
At this stage, you should recognize the pragmatic weight of the phrase. It can be used to conclude a negotiation or to indicate that a certain topic has been exhausted. The phrase also appears in more complex grammatical structures, such as '{十分|じゅうぶん}すぎるほど' (to the point of being more than enough). You should also be aware of how pitch accent can change the meaning from polite satisfaction to sharp irritation.
C1 mastery involves using the phrase to navigate delicate interpersonal dynamics. It can be used to subtly deflect unwanted attention or to signal a firm but polite 'stop' in a debate. You should be able to distinguish its use in literary contexts, where it might represent a character's internal state of completion or resignation. The phrase's relationship with the concept of 'Chisoku' (contentment) becomes more relevant in advanced discourse.
At a near-native level, you appreciate the phrase as a manifestation of Japanese socio-linguistic 'omotenashi' and 'enryo.' You understand its role in maintaining 'face' for both the speaker and the listener. You can analyze its use in various registers, from the humble '{十分|じゅうぶん}に{頂戴|ちょうだい}いたしました}' to the dismissive '{もう|もう}いい}' in casual speech, and use these variations to precisely control the social distance and emotional tone of an interaction.

Significado

Used to indicate that one has received or experienced enough of something.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Leaving a tiny bit of food on your plate used to signal that the host provided 'more than enough.' Today, saying '{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です' is a clearer way to signal satisfaction without wasting food. In meetings, being concise is valued. Using this phrase to signal you've understood a point helps keep the meeting on track. When receiving a gift, you might say it is 'too much' ({十分|じゅうぶん}すぎます) to show humility and that you feel the gift exceeds your merit. Hosts will often push for 'one more' as a sign of care. Your use of '{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です' must be firm but accompanied by a smile to maintain harmony.

💡

The Hand Gesture

When saying this to decline food, hold your hand up vertically near your chest. It adds a visual layer of politeness.

⚠️

Watch the 'Mou'

Forgetting 'mou' can make the phrase sound like a cold observation rather than a polite response.

Significado

Used to indicate that one has received or experienced enough of something.

💡

The Hand Gesture

When saying this to decline food, hold your hand up vertically near your chest. It adds a visual layer of politeness.

⚠️

Watch the 'Mou'

Forgetting 'mou' can make the phrase sound like a cold observation rather than a polite response.

🎯

Combine with Gratitude

Always follow with 'Arigatou gozaimasu' or 'Gochisousama' to ensure you don't sound ungrateful.

Ponte a prueba

Choose the most polite way to decline a second cup of tea.

お{茶|ちゃ}、もう{一杯|いっぱい}いかがですか？

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: b

Option B is polite and acknowledges the offer with gratitude.

Fill in the blank to complete the sentence: 'I have already received enough help.'

{助|たす}けは（　　　）{十分|じゅうぶん}です。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: b

'Mou' (already) is the standard adverb used with 'juubun' in this context.

Match the tone of '{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です}' to the situation.

Situation: A friend is telling the same boring story for the 5th time.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: b

A sharp, flat tone indicates you are fed up with the repetition.

Complete the dialogue in a professional setting.

A: {資料|しりょう}を{追加|ついか}で{送|おく}りましょうか？ B: いいえ、（　　　　　　）。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: c

Option C is the most professional and complete response.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

5 preguntas

It's not rude if you use a polite tone and follow it with 'Arigatou gozaimasu.' However, 'Kekkou desu' is slightly more formal.

No, for time you should say 'Jikan wa tarite imasu' or 'Jikan wa arimasu.' 'Juubun' for time usually refers to the *quality* of time spent.

They are mostly the same. {十分} is more common for physical amounts (rice, money), while {充分} is for abstract things (sleep, preparation).

Yes, if you say it loudly and sharply, it means 'Enough! Stop it!'

'Mou ii desu' is more casual and can more easily sound dismissive or rude. 'Juubun' is safer.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

{結構|けっこう}です

similar

That's fine / No thank you.

🔗

{足|た}りました

similar

It was sufficient.

🔗

{満足|まんぞく}です

similar

I am satisfied.

🔗

{限界|げんかい}です

contrast

I'm at my limit.

🔗

{十分|じゅうぶん}すぎる

builds on

More than enough.

Dónde usarla

🍚

Declining a second helping of rice

Host: お{代|か}わりはどうですか？

You: ありがとうございます。でも、{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です。

neutral
💼

Ending a long meeting

Colleague: {他|ほか}に{質問|しつもん}はありますか？

You: いいえ、{説明|せつめい}は{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です。よくわかりました。

formal
🛍️

Declining a shopping bag

Clerk: {袋|ふくろ}にお{入|い}れしましょうか？

You: あ、カバンがあるので{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です。

neutral
🙅

Stopping a pushy salesperson

Salesperson: こちらのプランもいかがでしょうか？

You: すみません、{情報|じょうほう}は{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です。{検討|けんとう}します。

formal
💢

Expressing frustration to a friend

Friend: ごめん、また{遅|おく}れる...

You: {言|い}い{訳|わけ}は{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}だよ！

informal
🍺

Declining more drinks at a bar

Bartender: もう{一杯|いっぱい}いかがですか？

You: お{酒|さけ}は{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}いただいたので、お{会計|かいけい}をお{願|ねが}いします。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Juubun' as 'Jewel-Boon'—a jewel is a boon that is 'already enough' to make you happy.

Visual Association

Imagine a glass filled exactly to the brim with sparkling water. Not a drop more can fit. That is 'Juubun'.

Rhyme

When the food is on the run, say 'Mou Juubun'!

Story

You are at a party in Tokyo. A friendly grandma keeps piling sushi on your plate. You feel like you might pop! You put your hand up gently, smile, and say 'Mou Juubun desu.' She understands perfectly and moves to the next person.

Word Web

{十分|じゅうぶん} (Enough){不十分|ふじゅうぶん} (Insufficient){満足|まんぞく} (Satisfaction){結構|けっこう} (Fine/No thanks){限界|げんかい} (Limit){満腹|まんぷく} (Full stomach){足|た}りる (To be sufficient)

Desafío

Next time you are offered a plastic bag at a convenience store (and you have your own), say '{袋|ふくろ}は{結構|けっこう}です' or '{もう|もう}{十分|じゅうぶん}です' if you already have one in hand.

In Other Languages

English high

That's enough / I'm good

Japanese is more formal and focuses on the state of sufficiency.

Spanish moderate

Ya es suficiente / Ya basta

Spanish equivalents often lean more towards 'Stop it!' than 'I'm satisfied'.

French moderate

Ça suffit / C'est bon

French uses 'C'est bon' for satisfaction, while Japanese uses 'Juubun' for quantity.

German high

Es reicht / Genug

German is often more direct; Japanese requires a softer tone to remain polite.

Arabic moderate

يكفي (Yakfi) / خلاص (Khalas)

Arabic 'Khalas' is more definitive and less about 'sufficiency'.

Chinese high

够了 (Gòule)

Chinese 'Gòule' is often more blunt than the Japanese 'desu' form.

Korean very_high

충분해요 (Chungbunhaeyo)

Almost no difference in usage or nuance.

Portuguese moderate

Já chega / Já está bom

Portuguese separates 'annoyance' and 'satisfaction' into different phrases more clearly.

Easily Confused

もう十分です vs {充分|じゅうぶん}

It is pronounced the same and has a similar meaning.

Use {十分} for numbers/quantities and {充分} for abstract feelings, though they are often interchangeable in modern Japanese.

もう十分です vs {少|すこ}しです

Learners sometimes use this to mean 'just a little more is enough'.

Remember that 'Juubun' means 100%, not a small amount.

Preguntas frecuentes (5)

It's not rude if you use a polite tone and follow it with 'Arigatou gozaimasu.' However, 'Kekkou desu' is slightly more formal.

No, for time you should say 'Jikan wa tarite imasu' or 'Jikan wa arimasu.' 'Juubun' for time usually refers to the *quality* of time spent.

They are mostly the same. {十分} is more common for physical amounts (rice, money), while {充分} is for abstract things (sleep, preparation).

Yes, if you say it loudly and sharply, it means 'Enough! Stop it!'

'Mou ii desu' is more casual and can more easily sound dismissive or rude. 'Juubun' is safer.

¿Te ha servido?

Comentarios (0)

Inicia Sesión para Comentar
¡No hay comentarios todavía. Sé el primero en compartir tus ideas!