Translation guide
To reject or refuse someone or something with disdain or contempt. In Japanese, this is expressed through verbs and phrases that convey refusal, rejection, or treating with contempt, often depending on the relationship and context.
To coldly refuse someone's romantic or social advances, or to treat someone as unworthy.
Directly means 'to reject'. Can be used for refusing a person, proposal, or request. Often implies a firm, sometimes cold refusal.
彼は彼女の告白を拒絶した。
He spurned her confession of love.
To flatly reject or rebuff someone. Stronger than 拒絶する, often used when someone is brushed off harshly.
彼は助けを求めたが、冷たく撥ね付けられた。
He asked for help but was coldly spurned.
Literally 'to treat as a sleeve', meaning to give someone the cold shoulder or to spurn someone's affections. Common in romantic contexts.
彼女は彼を袖にした。
She spurned him.
To look down on someone, to despise. Implies spurning due to a sense of superiority.
彼は貧しい人々を見下している。
He spurns the poor.
To refuse something offered or suggested because you consider it unworthy or beneath you.
To refuse, to reject. Can be used for offers, requests, or ideas. Less emotionally charged than some other options, but can imply spurning when used with disdainful tone.
彼はその申し出を拒んだ。
He spurned the offer.
To reject, to dismiss, to brush aside. Often used for ideas, proposals, or advice that is considered unworthy.
To reject out of hand, to spurn with a single kick (metaphorically). Strong and dismissive.
彼は私の忠告を一蹴した。
He spurned my advice.
To show contempt for something by ignoring or discarding it.
To despise, to scorn. Can be used for spurning something because you consider it inferior.
彼は金持ちだが、お金を軽蔑している。
He is rich but spurns money.
To ignore, to disregard. Spurning by treating as if it doesn't exist.
彼女は私の警告を無視した。
She spurned my warning.
拒絶する is a general term for rejection. 撥ね付ける implies a harsher, more abrupt refusal. 袖にする is specifically for spurning someone's romantic interest, often used in casual contexts.
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'spurn' in all contexts. Choose the expression based on what is being spurned (person, offer, idea) and the level of contempt.
社長はその提案を退けた。
The president spurned the proposal.