Translation guide
How to express 'point-blank' in Japanese, covering both literal close-range shooting and figurative blunt directness.
Describing shooting or attacking from extremely close distance.
Means 'point-blank range' or 'extremely close distance'. Used as a noun, often with particles like で or から.
He was shot at point-blank range.
He fired at point-blank range.
Literally 'zero distance', used in gaming or military contexts for point-blank shots. More colloquial and technical.
I got a headshot at point-blank range.
Means 'right in front of one's eyes'. Can imply point-blank range in context, but is less specific to shooting.
The criminal fired the gun point-blank right in front of me.
Saying something in a very direct, frank, or blunt manner, often without softening.
Adverb meaning 'frankly', 'directly', 'point-blank'. Used when stating something clearly and without beating around the bush.
To put it point-blank, that plan is a failure.
Means 'frankly speaking' or 'to be honest'. Used to introduce a blunt statement.
Point-blank, that's impossible.
Noun or する-verb meaning 'speaking frankly' or 'point-blank statement'. More formal and less common in daily speech.
Rejecting something outright, without any room for negotiation.
Both mean 'frankly', but ずばり is more about hitting the nail on the head with a concise, direct statement, while はっきり言って is a more general 'to be honest' that can introduce a blunt opinion.
Point-blank, how much do you want?
To be blunt, those clothes don't suit you.
There is no single Japanese adverb that covers both the literal and figurative senses of 'point-blank'. Using 至近距離で figuratively would be unnatural. Choose the appropriate expression based on context.
He asked a question that got straight to the point.
A な-adjective or adverb meaning 'straight to the point', 'without preamble'. Often used with に.
To be point-blank, I must decline.
彼は上司に直言した。
He told his boss point-blank.