Translation guide
The state of being unable to speak, either physically or by choice. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns, adjectives, and descriptive phrases, with important distinctions between medical muteness, temporary speechlessness, and deliberate silence.
Describing a person who cannot speak due to a physical or medical condition.
Noun meaning 'muteness' or 'a mute person'. Often used in compounds. Can be considered blunt or outdated in some contexts; more neutral terms are preferred in modern usage.
彼は生まれつきの唖です。
He has been mute since birth.
Phrase literally meaning 'cannot use one's mouth', used to describe someone who is unable to speak. More descriptive and commonly used in everyday language.
事故の後、彼は口が利けなくなった。
After the accident, he became unable to speak.
Medical term for aphasia, a condition causing loss of ability to speak or understand language. Specific to neurological causes.
彼は脳卒中で失語症になった。
He developed aphasia after a stroke.
Medical term for mutism, often used in psychiatric contexts. Rare in everyday conversation.
その子供は選択性無言症と診断された。
The child was diagnosed with selective mutism.
Describing being unable to speak due to shock, surprise, or strong emotion.
Literally 'to lose words', used when someone is so shocked or moved that they cannot speak. Very common and natural.
あまりの驚きに言葉を失った。
I was so surprised I was speechless.
Literally 'voice doesn't come out', used when someone is physically unable to produce voice due to emotion or shock.
怖くて声が出なかった。
I was so scared I couldn't speak.
Verb meaning 'to be at a loss for words' or 'to be dumbfounded'. Often used when someone is so surprised or appalled they cannot respond.
彼の無礼な態度に絶句した。
I was speechless at his rude attitude.
Describing a person who chooses not to speak, often in a specific situation.
Verb meaning 'to fall silent' or 'to clam up', implying a deliberate refusal to speak, often due to stubbornness or discomfort.
彼は質問に答えず、黙り込んでしまった。
He didn't answer the question and just clammed up.
Noun meaning 'silence', often used to describe a person's refusal to speak or a heavy silence in a situation.
Literally 'to shut one's mouth', meaning to refuse to speak or to keep a secret. Can be used for both temporary and long-term silence.
Describing muteness as a general condition or trait, often in literary or descriptive contexts.
Noun meaning 'silence' or 'without words'. Can describe a person who does not speak, but more often describes an action or state without speech.
彼は無言のまま部屋を出て行った。
He left the room without a word.
Adverb/noun meaning 'dumbfounded' or 'speechless', often used in the phrase 唖然とする. Describes a state of being so surprised one cannot speak.
Referring to someone as 唖 (おし) can sound blunt or outdated. In modern, polite conversation, it's better to use descriptive phrases like 口が利けない (cannot speak) or 言葉を話せない (cannot speak words) to avoid causing offense.
For physical inability, use 口が利けない or medical terms like 失語症. For emotional speechlessness, use 言葉を失う or 声が出ない. For deliberate silence, use 黙り込む or 口を閉ざす.
彼の沈黙は罪の告白だった。
His silence was an admission of guilt.
彼はその件については固く口を閉ざしている。
He remains tight-lipped about that matter.
I was dumbfounded by the sight.