つれない

つ

れ

な

い

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

つれない · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	つれない	つれなくない
Polite	つれないです	つれなくないですalso つれなくありません
Past polite	つれなかったです	つれなくなかったですalso つれなくありませんでした
Past	つれなかった	つれなくなかった
Te-form	つれなくて	つれなくなくて
Adverbial	つれなく
Conditional	つれなければ	つれなくなければ
Tara conditional	つれなかったら	つれなくなかったら

Meanings

i-adjective

cold; indifferent; unkind

Describes a person's attitude or behavior as emotionally distant, unfeeling, or lacking warmth, often in a way that feels hurtful or dismissive.

彼かれは私わたしにつれない態たい度どをとった。
He took a cold attitude toward me.
つれない返へん事じが返かえってきた。
I got an indifferent reply.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉につれない態たい度どをとるto act coldly toward someone
彼かれは好すきな人ひとにつれない態たい度どをとってしまう。
He ends up acting coldly toward the person he likes.
つれない返へん事じa cold, indifferent reply
何なん度ど誘さそってもつれない返へん事じしかもらえなかった。
No matter how many times I invited her, I only got a cold reply.
つれない仕し打うちcold, unkind treatment
長なが年ねんの友ゆう人じんからつれない仕し打うちを受うけた。
I was treated coldly by a friend of many years.

Related words

冷つめたいN5
冷たい is a general word for coldness (temperature or personality), while つれない specifically describes a person's unfeeling, dismissive behavior toward someone.
そっけないN1
そっけない emphasizes a brusque, unfriendly manner, while つれない stresses emotional distance and a lack of sympathy that can feel hurtful.
薄はく情じょう
薄情 describes a heartless or unsympathetic disposition in general, whereas つれない usually refers to a specific cold act or response toward someone.
無む情じょうN1
無情 is a stronger, more literary word for being merciless or utterly unfeeling, while つれない describes ordinary interpersonal coldness.

Opposites

優やさしいN5
優しい means kind and warm-hearted, the opposite of つれない's cold, dismissive attitude toward others.
温あたたかいN5
温かい describes a warm, caring attitude, contrasting with the emotional coldness expressed by つれない.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the classical verb つる (to hang, to connect) with a negative suffix, suggesting a lack of emotional connection, but this is speculative.