言い返す|いいかえすiikaesu[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto talk back; to answer back; to retort; to reply; to respond
- godan verb, transitive verbto say over; to repeat (what one has said)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 言い返す（いいかえす） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 言い返します（いいかえします） |
| Negative (nai) | 言い返さない（いいかえさない） |
| polite (masen) | 言い返しません（いいかえしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 言い返さず・言い返さぬ（いいかえさず・いいかえさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 言い返した（いいかえした） |
| polite (mashita) | 言い返しました（いいかえしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 言い返さなかった（いいかえさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 言い返しませんでした（いいかえしませんでした） |
| Te form | 言い返して（いいかえして） |
| Potential | 言い返せる（いいかえせる） |
| Passive | 言い返される（いいかえされる） |
| Causative | 言い返させる（いいかえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 言い返させられる（いいかえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 言い返せば（いいかえせば） |
| tara | 言い返したら（いいかえしたら） |
| Volitional | 言い返そう（いいかえそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 言い返しましょう（いいかえしましょう） |
| Imperative | 言い返せ（いいかえせ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym口答えくちごたえCasualColloquial. Talking back to an elder or superior, with a pejorative nuance of insubordination; 「言い返す」 is not limited to superiors and covers retorts in general.
- Synonym口返答くちへんとうCasualColloquial. Talking back or retorting; synonymous with 「口答え」 but somewhat old-fashioned and rarely used.
- Related応酬おうしゅうWrittenWritten/formal prose. A back-and-forth exchange in which each side returns the other's words, as in 「激しい応酬」; stresses the exchange itself.
- Related言い返しいいかえしNeutralNeutral. The noun form of 「言い返す」: the act of replying or retorting, or the remark made in doing so.
- Antonym黙るだまるNeutralNeutral. To stay silent and say nothing — the opposite of talking back with 「言い返す」.
- Antonym聞き流すききながすCasualColloquial. To let something go in one ear and out the other, ignoring it — the opposite of retorting at once with 「言い返す」.
Use 「言い返す」 to talk back or retort after being told something, as in 「負けずに言い返す」; it is not limited to superiors. 「口答え」 is talking back to elders or superiors; 「応酬」 a back-and-forth exchange between two sides; 「聞き流す」 ignoring it instead of replying.
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
