無愛想・不愛想|ぶあいそうbuaisou[2]nakadaka (mid-high)
ぶあいそbuaiso
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Which spelling to use
無愛想無愛想 is the most common written form. It describes a person whose manner is unsociable, unfriendly, blunt, or surly, and is written entirely in kanji.
不愛想不愛想 is a rarely used kanji-only variant with the same meanings as 無愛想. Learners should choose 無愛想 instead.
Definitions
- na-adjective, noununsociable; unfriendly; blunt; surly; curt; cold; brusque
Conjugation
| Plain form | 無愛想（ぶあいそう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 無愛想です（ぶあいそうです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 無愛想ではない（ぶあいそうではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 無愛想ではありません（ぶあいそうではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 無愛想だった（ぶあいそうだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 無愛想ではなかった（ぶあいそうではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 無愛想で（ぶあいそうで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 無愛想に（ぶあいそうに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 無愛想なら（ぶあいそうなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- SynonymぶっきらぼうNeutralBrusque, curt speech; stresses the way one talks rather than overall demeanor. Common in colloquial speech.
- Synonym無愛嬌ぶあいきょうNeutralLacking charm or likability; close to 「無愛想」 in meaning but used less often.
- Related冷たいつめたいNeutralBroader word: covers emotional coldness and even low temperature. 「無愛想」 focuses on lacking a smile and warmth.
- Related冷淡れいたんNeutralLack of enthusiasm or interest in people or things; attitudes and replies can both be 冷淡. 「無愛想」 centers on the missing smile and warmth.
- Related不親切ふしんせつNeutralUnkind and unhelpful; stresses poor service or explanations, not merely a cold expression.
- Related邪険じゃけんNeutralTreating people harshly and meanly, with a hint of malice; stronger than 「無愛想」.
- Related無情むじょうWrittenHeartless and unsympathetic; a strong written/formal-prose word stressing lack of compassion.
- Related冷ややかひややかNeutralIcy in attitude or gaze, mostly in written description, as in 「冷ややかな視線」.
- Related非社交的ひしゃこうてきWrittenWritten/formal word for a personality that shuns company; stresses reclusiveness, not necessarily a brusque manner.
- RelatedよそよそしいNeutralDistant and standoffish; stresses the sense of distance in the relationship rather than brusqueness.
- RelatedけんもほろろNeutralSet phrase for curtly rejecting a request or dealing with someone coldly; mostly used for refusals.
- RelatedつれないNeutralCold and unresponsive toward someone; often for heartlessness in romance, with a refined, elegant feel.
- Related他人行儀たにんぎょうぎNeutralUnduly formal between people who are actually close; stresses etiquette rather than coldness.
- Antonym親切しんせつNeutralAntonym: kind and eager to help others, the opposite of unkindness and coldness.
- Antonym愛想良いNeutralAntonym: friendly and smiling with people, the opposite of being cold and unwelcoming.
「無愛想」 describes someone such as a shop clerk who shows no smile or warmth. Use 「ぶっきらぼう」 for brusque speech, 「冷淡」 for lack of interest or enthusiasm, and 「よそよそしい」 for a distant, standoffish manner.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
