Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
公然 (こうぜん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
彼かれ
は
会かい
議ぎ
で
公こう
然ぜん
と
反はん
対たい
意い
見けん
を
述の
べ
た
。
He openly expressed his opposing opinion at the meeting.
Usage patterns 〈 事こと 〉 が 公こう 然ぜん と 行おこな われる for something to be done openly/publicly
The exchange of bribes was carried out in the open.
公こう 然ぜん と 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something openly/without hiding it
He openly voiced his complaints.
公こう 然ぜん の 〈 事こと 〉 an openly known fact/matter
That is a well-known, openly acknowledged fact.
〈 人ひと 〉 を 公こう 然ぜん と 批ひ 判はん する to openly criticize someone
He openly criticized his boss.
Kanji 公 public, prince, official 然 sort of thing, so, if so Related words 公 is a noun meaning 'public' or 'official' used in compounds, while 公然 is an adjectival/adverbial word describing the manner of doing something openly.
堂々 stresses a bold, dignified manner of acting openly, whereas 公然 simply means done without concealment, sometimes with a defiant nuance.
露骨 describes something blunt or explicit, often with a negative or crude nuance, while 公然 focuses on the fact that it is done in the open.
Opposites· 5 秘密 means 'secret,' the opposite of 公然, which means done openly without concealment.
公然 means done openly and publicly, the direct opposite of 隠密's secrecy.
公然 means openly and publicly known, the opposite of 内々, which means kept within a closed circle.
Show 2 more Don't confuse with 明白 means logically or factually 'clear/obvious,' while 公然 describes an action or state being done openly, often with a defiant tone; learners can mix the two because both can translate as 'clear' in English.
Etymology Compound of 公 (public, official) and 然 (like, in the manner of). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination yields the meaning 'in a public/open manner'.
N1
公然 means open and public, the direct opposite of 密か, which describes something done secretly or hidden from others.
公然 describes something done openly and known to everyone, contrasting with the hidden, restricted nature of 極秘.
