口論|こうろんkouron[1]atamadaka (head-high)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
- noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbquarrel; argument; row; (verbal) dispute私たちはまた昨夜また口論をした。↗We had words again last night.
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 口論する(こうろんする) |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 口論します(こうろんします) |
| Negative (nai) | 口論しない(こうろんしない) |
| polite (masen) | 口論しません(こうろんしません) |
| classical zu / nu | 口論せず・口論せぬ(こうろんせず・こうろんせぬ) |
| Past (ta) | 口論した(こうろんした) |
| polite (mashita) | 口論しました(こうろんしました) |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 口論しなかった(こうろんしなかった) |
| polite (masen deshita) | 口論しませんでした(こうろんしませんでした) |
| Te form | 口論して(こうろんして) |
| Potential | 口論できる(こうろんできる) |
| Passive | 口論される(こうろんされる) |
| Causative | 口論させる(こうろんさせる) |
| Causative passive | 口論させられる(こうろんさせられる) |
| Conditional (ba) | 口論すれば(こうろんすれば) |
| tara | 口論したら(こうろんしたら) |
| Volitional | 口論しよう(こうろんしよう) |
| polite (mashou) | 口論しましょう(こうろんしましょう) |
| Imperative | 口論しろ(こうろんしろ) |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
- Synonym口喧嘩くちげんかCasualColloquial word for a verbal spat; stresses quarrelling with words alone, no blows, and can sound childish.
- Synonym喧嘩けんかCasualColloquial; quarrels and fights, blows included, so broader in scope than 「口論」.
- Synonym舌戦ぜっせんFormalFormal; a war of words, stressing fierce debate, used mostly of polemical contests.
- Synonym争いあらそいNeutralDisputes and strife in a broad sense; widely used, not confined to verbal exchanges.
- Synonym諍いいさかいNeutralQuarrels and discord, as in 「家族の諍い」; slightly literary in flavor.
- Synonym言い争いいいあらそいNeutralNoun for a quarrel; almost synonymous with 「口論」.
- Synonym言い合いいいあいNeutralArguing back and forth, each side pressing its own point; close to 「口論」 but more casual.
- Synonym口争いくちあらそいNeutralA quarrel; less common, much like 「口喧嘩」, stressing verbal conflict.
- Related論争ろんそうWrittenWritten/formal prose; disputes over academic, political or social issues, stressing reasoned debate rather than a quarrel.
- Related論戦ろんせんWrittenWritten/formal prose; a battle of words, stressing debate on a contested stage, with more reasoned argument.
- Related争うあらそうNeutralBroad verb covering contesting and quarrelling; the widest in use, not limited to words.
- Related言い争ういいあらそうNeutralVerb meaning to quarrel; the verbal counterpart of the noun 「口論」, casual in tone.
- RelatedやりあうCasualColloquial; to clash with someone, stressing that neither side gives in; can even turn physical.
- Related諍ういさかうWrittenWritten/formal verb meaning to quarrel; archaic in flavor and rarely used today.
- Antonym仲直りなかなおりCasualColloquial; making up and getting back on good terms — the opposite of quarrelling 「口論」.
- Antonym和睦わぼくWrittenWritten/formal prose; ending a dispute and reconciling — the opposite of quarrelling 「口論」.
「口論」 is for a purely verbal quarrel with no blows; it leans written and is common in news reports, as in 「口論の末」. In speech, say 「口喧嘩」 or 「言い合い」; if blows are involved, 「喧嘩」; for debate over an issue, 「論争」. The opposite is 「仲直り」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only


