मतलब
Can mean 'no' or be a polite response to 'thank you'.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The 'Humble No' is essential. Accepting praise directly can be seen as lacking 'Enryo' (restraint). Even if you are proud of your skills, 'iie' is the social script you must follow. In business, a direct 'iie' is often replaced by 'shoushou kento itashimasu' (we will consider it a bit) to avoid a flat rejection that might hurt the relationship. In Kyoto, politeness is even more indirect. An 'iie' might be hidden inside a compliment or a question about something else entirely. This is known as 'Kyoto-ben' nuance. Younger generations are using 'iie' less in favor of 'iya' or even English-inspired 'no' in very casual settings, but 'iie' remains the required form for all adult/professional interactions.
The Hand Wave
When saying 'iie' to a compliment, gently wave your hand in front of your face. This is the universal Japanese gesture for 'No, not at all'.
Don't be too blunt
Never just say 'iie' and walk away. Always add 'arigatou gozaimasu' or 'chigaimasu' to keep the conversation flowing.
मतलब
Can mean 'no' or be a polite response to 'thank you'.
The Hand Wave
When saying 'iie' to a compliment, gently wave your hand in front of your face. This is the universal Japanese gesture for 'No, not at all'.
Don't be too blunt
Never just say 'iie' and walk away. Always add 'arigatou gozaimasu' or 'chigaimasu' to keep the conversation flowing.
Agreeing with Negatives
Remember: If someone asks 'You don't like this?', and you don't like it, say 'Hai' (Yes, you are right, I don't like it). Saying 'Iie' means 'No, you are wrong, I DO like it'.
The Double Iie
Saying 'iie, iie' is almost always more natural than a single 'iie' when responding to kindness or praise.
खुद को परखो
Choose the most natural response to: '日本語がお上手ですね！' (Your Japanese is good!)
A: はい、そうです。 B: いいえ、まだまだです。 C: いいえ、{嫌|きら}いです。 D: はい、上手です。
In Japanese culture, it is most polite to modestly decline a compliment using 'iie' and 'mada mada' (not yet).
Fill in the blank to decline a refill of water at a restaurant.
「お{水|みず}、いかがですか？」 「（ ）、{結構|けっこう}です。」
'Iie, kekkou desu' is the standard polite way to say 'No, thank you'.
Match the phrase to the relationship.
1. いいえ (Polite) 2. ううん (Casual) 3. いや (Informal/Masculine)
Register is key in Japanese. 'Iie' is for superiors/strangers, 'uun' for close friends, and 'iya' for casual/family settings.
Complete the dialogue between two colleagues.
A: 昨日はありがとうございました。 B: （ ）、どういたしまして。
'Iie, douitashimashite' is the complete phrase for 'No, you're welcome'.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Iie vs. Uun
Situations for Iie
At Shops
- • Declining a bag
- • Declining a receipt
Socially
- • Compliments
- • Thank yous
Facts
- • Wrong name
- • Wrong job
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासA: はい、そうです。 B: いいえ、まだまだです。 C: いいえ、{嫌|きら}いです。 D: はい、上手です。
In Japanese culture, it is most polite to modestly decline a compliment using 'iie' and 'mada mada' (not yet).
「お{水|みず}、いかがですか？」 「（ ）、{結構|けっこう}です。」
'Iie, kekkou desu' is the standard polite way to say 'No, thank you'.
1. いいえ (Polite) 2. ううん (Casual) 3. いや (Informal/Masculine)
Register is key in Japanese. 'Iie' is for superiors/strangers, 'uun' for close friends, and 'iya' for casual/family settings.
A: 昨日はありがとうございました。 B: （ ）、どういたしまして。
'Iie, douitashimashite' is the complete phrase for 'No, you're welcome'.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
14 सवालNo, it is the standard polite form. However, it can be blunt if used without a follow-up or if used with close friends.
'Iie' is formal/polite (use with teachers/strangers). 'Uun' is casual (use with friends/family).
Yes! 'いいえ、どういたしまして' is the full phrase, but often just 'いいえ、いいえ' is enough.
They are agreeing with the negative question. 'Don't you want it?' -> 'Hai (Yes, I don't want it)'.
'Iya' is more informal and often used by men to mean 'No' or 'Well...'.
The most common way is 'いいえ、結構です' (Iie, kekkou desu).
Yes, but it's often better to use more specific phrases like 'いたしかねます' (we cannot do it).
It is almost always written in Hiragana. While kanji like '否' exist, they are not used for the spoken word 'iie'.
Yes, 'ie' is a very common spoken contraction that sounds slightly more natural in quick dialogue.
A gentle side-to-side wave of the hand in front of the nose/face.
It's better to use a softener like 'Sumimasen, chotto...' (Sorry, it's a bit [difficult]).
Yes, but characters often use 'iya' or 'uun' depending on their personality.
'はい' (Hai) meaning 'Yes'.
Make sure the first 'i' is long (like 'eat') and the 'e' is short (like 'end').
संबंधित मुहावरे
ううん
informalCasual 'no'
結構です
similarI'm fine / No thank you
違います
builds onThat's wrong
どういたしまして
similarYou're welcome
とんでもない
specialized formNot at all / Don't be silly
はい
contrastYes
