Translation guide
An interjection used to express confusion, surprise, or to ask for repetition. Japanese equivalents vary by politeness, gender, and context.
Huh? (confused)
The speaker is caught off guard, puzzled, or reacting to unexpected information.
The most common and neutral way to express 'huh?' in Japanese. Can be used in most situations, but may sound slightly casual.
Huh? Really?
Expresses mild confusion or noticing something odd. Often used when something is different from expected.
Huh? The key is gone.
Very blunt and can sound rude or confrontational. Used mostly by men in informal settings to express disbelief or anger.
Avoid using this unless you intend to sound aggressive or are very close with the listener.
Huh? What are you saying?
The speaker didn't catch what was said and wants it repeated.
With rising intonation, it functions as 'Huh?' meaning 'What did you say?'. Safe for most informal situations.
Huh? Say that again.
Politer than え？, but can sound like 'Excuse me?' if said with a sharp tone. Often used in service situations.
Huh? What did you say? (polite)
A casual, grunt-like sound used mainly by men. Similar to 'Hm?' or 'Huh?' when you didn't hear clearly.
Huh? What did you just say?
The interjection は？ is extremely blunt and can be interpreted as hostile. It is not equivalent to a casual English 'huh?' and should be avoided unless you are very familiar with the listener and intend a rough tone.
え？ is the default casual-to-neutral 'huh?'. はい？ is more polite but can sound like a sharp 'Excuse me?' if intonation is off. In formal situations, it's safer to use a full phrase like すみません、もう一度お願いします (Excuse me, could you say that again?).