Word
申し訳ない
Meaning in Englishinexcusable, I am sorry
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Word context
What it means
It means a sincere apology; used when you take responsibility and want to convey deep remorse, suitable in formal or serious contexts.
Main meanings
- Primary meaning: a strong apology expressing remorse and responsibility
- Nuance: implies there is no acceptable excuse or justification
- Usage: appropriate in formal settings, business communication, and sincere personal apologies; in casual speech, people may use simpler forms
How to use it
Used to apologize for causing trouble or taking responsibility; formal and polite contexts; frequently used in workplaces and service industries; may be followed by a request for forgiveness or leniency, or used alone as a strong regretful statement.
Variants and close terms
- すみません (sumimasen) — common, less formal
- ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) — softer, casual
- 申し訳ございます (moushiwake gozaimasu) — highly formal
- 申し訳ないです (moushiwake nai desu) — polite variant
Composition
- 申: to say; indicates speech or statement
- 訳: reason, explanation; the core concept of justification
- ない: negation; marks absence of an excuse or justification
Etymology
申 to say; 訳 reason or explanation; ない negation; together they form a phrase that literally signals no ground to justify one's actions, hence an apology.
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expression (表現)
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