Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
こんにゃく問答 (こんにゃくもんどう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
irrelevant and incoherent dialogue ; meaningless debate ; talking at cross purposes
idiomatic expression yojijukugo (four-character idiom)
Idiomatic expression describing a conversation where the participants are not engaging with each other's points, resulting in a pointless or absurd exchange. Often used humorously or critically.
Their discussion was nothing but an incoherent dialogue from start to finish.
Written forms こんにゃく 問もん 答どう
Standard spelling; the kanji 問答 (dialogue) is clear, while こんにゃく is written in kana for readability.
蒟こん 蒻にゃく 問もん 答どう
Full kanji spelling using 蒟蒻 for こんにゃく; rarely used in modern writing.
Similar words 禅ぜん 問もん 答どう 禅問答 refers to a Zen dialogue or koan, which may seem paradoxical but has a spiritual purpose, whereas こんにゃく問答 implies a pointless, illogical exchange without deeper meaning.
水みず 掛か け 論ろん 水掛け論 is a back-and-forth argument where neither side yields, while こんにゃく問答 emphasizes the incoherence and lack of logical connection between the speakers' points.
Etymology The term こんにゃく問答 literally means 'konnyaku dialogue'. It is said to originate from a comedic story where a man answers every question with 'こんにゃく' (konjac), leading to a nonsensical exchange. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the phrase is used to describe a conversation that goes nowhere.
