Word
無沙汰
Meaning in Englishneglecting to stay in contact
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
無沙汰 means a lack of communication or staying out of touch; used when one has not contacted someone for a while or has not provided updates, often in social or professional contexts.
Main meanings
- absence of news or word from someone, typically after a period without contact (otosata ga nai)
- the state of not replying or informing others; a lack of updated information
- in polite greetings, the fixed expression ご無沙汰 uses a courteous sense of a long lapse in contact (gobusata)
How to use it
Used as a noun to describe a long lapse in contacting someone; common in written communication and polite conversation, often appearing in phrases like ご無沙汰しております to acknowledge a delay in response.
Variants and close terms
- 音沙汰がない (otosata ga nai) — absence of news or word
- ご無沙汰 (ごぶさた, gobusata) — polite form used after a long time without contact
- 音信不通 (onshinfutsuu) — lack of communication
Composition
- 無: nothing, none, absence
- 沙汰: news, matter, affair
- Together: conveys absence of news or word; no response
Etymology
Phonology ぶさた is the current reading of 無沙汲, the two-kanji compound is read as busata in modern Japanese, and the polite form ご無沙汰 adds gobusata through the honorific prefix.
Word class
Noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N2
御無沙汰
gobusata
not writing or contacting for a while
N1
情無い
nasakenai
miserable, pitiable, shameful
N1
感無量
kammuryou
deep feeling, filled with emotion
N1
素っ気無い
sokkenai
cold, short, curt, blunt
N1
台無し
dainashi
mess, spoiled, (come to) nothing
N1
無難
bunan
safety, security
N1
無礼
burei
impolite, rude
N1
無意味
muimi
nonsense, no meaning
N1
無口
mukuchi
reticence
Kanji