A2 Idiom Neutre

耳を疑う

mimi o utagau

Can't believe one's ears

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this when you hear something so shocking you think you might have misheard it.

  • Means: To be incredibly shocked by news or a statement.
  • Used in: Reacting to scandals, big surprises, or unexpected announcements.
  • Don't confuse: With physical hearing problems; it's about mental disbelief.
👂 + ❓ = 😱

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means you are very surprised. You hear something. You think, 'Is that true?' You can't believe it. It is like 'I can't believe my ears' in English. Use it when you hear big news, like a friend winning a prize.
At this level, you can use {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う to describe your reaction to surprising news. It is an idiom, which means the words 'doubt' and 'ear' together have a special meaning. It's common in stories and daily life when someone says something very strange or shocking.
This idiom is essential for expressing disbelief. It's often paired with {思|おも}わず (unintentionally) to show a spontaneous reaction. You'll encounter it in news reports about scandals or in novels when a character learns a secret. It's more expressive than just saying '{驚|おどろ}きました' (I was surprised).
Beyond simple surprise, {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う conveys a sense of cognitive dissonance. It suggests that the information received is so far outside the realm of expectation that the listener's first instinct is to question their own sensory perception. It is frequently used in journalistic writing to highlight the gravity of a situation.
Linguistically, this phrase functions as a metaphorical extension of sensory skepticism. It is often employed in literary contexts to depict a character's internal turmoil or the breakdown of social norms. Mastery involves understanding the nuance between this and related idioms like {目|め}を{疑|うたが}う or {開|あ}いた{口|くち}が{塞|ふさ}がらない, which target different sensory or physical reactions to shock.
Within the framework of cognitive linguistics, {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う exemplifies the 'Senses as Gatekeepers of Reality' metaphor. It serves as a sophisticated rhetorical device to emphasize the absurdity or the unprecedented nature of a statement. Native-level mastery requires an appreciation of its historical weight and its ability to modulate the intensity of disbelief across various social registers, from tabloid sensationalism to high-brow literature.

Signification

To be so surprised or shocked by what one hears that it seems unbelievable.

🌍

Contexte culturel

In Japan, expressing shock through idioms like this is often preferred over loud, verbal exclamations in public to maintain 'wa' (harmony). This phrase is a favorite in 'Wide Shows' (Japanese tabloid/talk shows) when discussing celebrity scandals. Japanese literature often uses sensory idioms to describe internal psychological states, a technique dating back to the Heian period. In a business context, using this phrase can be a polite way to ask for clarification on a surprising or problematic statement without being confrontational.

💡

Pair with 'Omowazu'

Using {思|おも}わず (omowazu) before the phrase makes you sound much more like a native speaker.

⚠️

Not for physical pain

If your ear actually hurts, say {耳|みみ}が{痛|いた}いです, not this idiom!

Signification

To be so surprised or shocked by what one hears that it seems unbelievable.

💡

Pair with 'Omowazu'

Using {思|おも}わず (omowazu) before the phrase makes you sound much more like a native speaker.

⚠️

Not for physical pain

If your ear actually hurts, say {耳|みみ}が{痛|いた}いです, not this idiom!

🎯

Use in Writing

This is a great phrase to use in the opening of a blog post or an essay to grab attention.

Teste-toi

Fill in the missing particle and verb in the correct form (past polite).

{彼|かれ}が{犯人|はんにん}だと{聞|き}いて、{耳|みみ}（　）（　　　　　）。

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : を{疑|うたが}いました

The phrase is {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う. Since the action of hearing happened in the past, use the past polite form.

Which situation is appropriate for {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う?

Choose the best context:

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Your friend tells you they are actually a secret prince.

This is a shocking, unbelievable statement, which is the perfect use case for the idiom.

Complete the dialogue.

A: {田中|たなか}さんが{宝|たから}くじで10{億円|おくえん}{当|あ}てたらしいよ。 B: ええっ！そんな（　　　　　）{話|はなし}、{信|しん}じられない！

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}うような

{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}うような{話|はなし} means 'a story that makes you doubt your ears'.

🎉 Score : /3

Aides visuelles

Questions fréquentes

4 questions

Not at all! Just use the casual form '{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}ったよ'. It's very common among friends.

Yes! If you win a prize or get a surprise gift, it's perfectly fine to use it for positive shock.

'Shinjirarenai' is a general 'unbelievable'. '{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う' is more descriptive and idiomatic, focusing on the act of hearing.

It's grammatically possible but rare. Usually, the shock is a finished action, so '{疑|うたが}った' is better.

Expressions liées

🔗

{目|め}を{疑|うたが}う

similar

To doubt one's eyes.

🔄

{信|しん}じられない

synonym

Unbelievable.

🔗

{聞|き}き{捨|す}てならない

specialized form

Cannot let a comment pass.

🔗

{耳|みみ}に{挟|はさ}む

builds on

To happen to overhear.

Où l'utiliser

💰

Winning the Lottery

Friend A: {宝|たから}くじで1{億円|おくえん}{当|あ}たったよ！

Friend B: えっ、まさか！{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}うよ。

informal
📸

Celebrity Scandal

Colleague A: あの{清純派|せいじゅんは}の{女優|じょゆう}が{逮捕|たいほ}されたらしいですよ。

Colleague B: ええっ！{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}うようなニュースですね。

neutral
💼

Sudden Resignation

Manager: {田中|たなか}さんが{今日|きょう}で{辞|や}めることになりました。

Employee: えっ、{田中|たなか}さんがですか？{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}いました。

formal
💢

Rude Comment

Person A: {君|きみ}、{本当|ほんとう}に{仕事|しごと}ができないね。

Person B: （{心|こころ}の{声|こえ}）そんなひどいこと、{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}うわ。

informal
🎉

Surprise Party Leak

Friend: {実|じつ}は、{明日|あした}サプライズパーティーがあるんだ。

Target: えっ、{僕|ぼく}のために？{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}うほど{嬉|うれ}しいよ。

informal
🏷️

Absurd Price

Clerk: こちらのリンゴは1つ1{万円|まんえん}です。

Customer: 1{万円|まんえん}！？{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}いました。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of your ears as two tiny judges in a courtroom. When they hear a lie, they bang their gavels and say, 'I doubt that!'

Visual Association

Imagine a person literally taking their ear off and looking at it with a magnifying glass, asking 'Are you sure you heard that right?'

Rhyme

Mimi o utagau, shock is now!

Story

You are at a party. A friend tells you they just bought a private island. You stop drinking, look at your friend, and then touch your ears to make sure they are still working. You say, 'Mimi o utagau!'

Word Web

{耳|みみ} (Ear){疑|うたが}う (Doubt){驚|おどろ}く (Surprise){信|しん}じる (Believe)ニュース (News)ショック (Shock){本当|ほんとう} (Truth)まさか (No way!)

Défi

Try to find one 'shocking' news headline today and write a sentence in Japanese using {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}いました.

In Other Languages

English high

Can't believe my ears

Japanese uses 'doubt' while English uses 'can't believe'.

Spanish moderate

No dar crédito a lo que uno oye

Focuses on the concept of 'credit' rather than the sensory organ.

French high

N'en pas croire ses oreilles

Uses 'believe' like English.

German high

Seinen Ohren nicht trauen

Almost identical in nuance.

Chinese partial

{难以置信|nányǐzhìxìn}

More abstract and less focused on the specific organ 'ear'.

Korean high

{귀|gwi}를 {疑心|uisim}하다

None; it is a perfect parallel.

Arabic high

لا يصدق أذنيه

Uses the verb 'believe' (yusaddiqu).

Portuguese high

Não acreditar nos próprios ouvidos

Uses 'believe' and specifies 'own' ears.

Easily Confused

耳を疑う vs {耳|みみ}が{痛|いた}い

Both involve 'ears' and negative feelings.

{耳|みみ}が{痛|いた}い (ears hurt) means hearing a truth that is hard to face (like criticism), while {耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う is about shock/disbelief.

耳を疑う vs {耳|みみ}を{貸|か}す

Both are ear idioms.

{耳|みみ}を{貸|か}す (lend an ear) means to listen to someone's advice or request.

FAQ (4)

Not at all! Just use the casual form '{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}ったよ'. It's very common among friends.

Yes! If you win a prize or get a surprise gift, it's perfectly fine to use it for positive shock.

'Shinjirarenai' is a general 'unbelievable'. '{耳|みみ}を{疑|うたが}う' is more descriptive and idiomatic, focusing on the act of hearing.

It's grammatically possible but rare. Usually, the shock is a finished action, so '{疑|うたが}った' is better.

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