万ばん

ば

ん

Meanings

Used with a negative sentence to mean 'not at all' or 'by no means'. Emphasizes the complete absence or impossibility of something.

彼かれの言いうことは万ばんに一ひとつも信しんじられない。
I can't believe a single word he says.
そんなことは万ばんに一ひとつもありえない。
That is absolutely impossible.

See all 4 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

万ばん〜ないnot ~ at all; absolutely no ~ (emphatic negation)
そんなことが起おこる可か能のう性せいは万ばんあるまい。
There is absolutely no possibility of that happening.

Expressions· 8

千せん秋しゅう万ばん歳ぜいmay you live a thousand years
万ばん止やむを得えずthere is no hope; unavoidable; cannot be helped
万ばん死しに値あたいするdeserve to die ten thousand deaths; be the worst of the worst
万ばん遺い漏ろう無なきを期きすmake absolutely sure there are no omissions
人にん間げん万ばん事じ塞さい翁おうが馬うまlife is full of ups and downs; fortune is unpredictable

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万ばん止やむを得えなければif necessary; when unavoidable
一いっ将しょう功こう成なって万ばん骨こつ枯かるthousands die to make one hero; one general reaches glory, ten thousand bones are left to dry
一いっ将しょう功こう成なりて万ばん骨こつ枯かるthousands die to make one hero

Kanji

万ten thousand, 10,000

Related words

全ぜん然ぜんN5
全然 is the everyday, versatile word for 'not at all', while 万 is a rare, emphatic literary adverb mostly confined to set phrases like 万に一つも.
絶ぜっ対たいにN3
絶対に can appear in both positive and negative sentences, whereas 万 is restricted to negative contexts meaning 'not at all'.

Don't confuse with

万まんN5
万 (まん) is the common number word for 'ten thousand', while 万 (ばん) is a rare literary adverb meaning 'not at all' used with negatives; the two are unrelated despite sharing the same kanji.

Word family· 80

万ばん能のうN1
all-purpose; universal; versatile · all-powerful; almighty; omnipotent
万ばん全ぜんN1
perfection; flawlessness; completeness
万ばん博ぱく
world expo; international exposition
万ばん里り
thousands of miles; great distance
万ばん歳ざいN2
banzai; hurray; hooray · cause for celebration; something to cheer about · giving up; throwing one's hands up · eternal life and prosperity

Show 25 more

万ばん事じN1
all; everything; all things
万ばん端たん
all; everything; every aspect
万ばん物ぶつ
all things; all creation; the universe
万ばん国こく
all nations; international; universal
森しん羅ら万ばん象しょう
all things in nature; the whole of creation
万ばん象しょう
all creation; all things in the universe
千せん差さ万ばん別べつN1
wide variety; great diversity; multifarious
万ばん々ばん歳ざい
matter for great congratulation; something truly celebratory
万ばん代だい
eternity; thousands of years; all generations
万ばん世せい
all ages; eternity; for all time
万ばん民みん
all people; the whole nation
千せん万ばん
exceedingly; extremely; very many
万ばん策さく
all possible means; every measure
万ばん丈じょう
hurrah!; long life; congratulations; full vent
万ばん死し
certain death; many deaths
千せん客きゃく万ばん来らい
flood of customers; roaring business
万ばん雷らい
heavy thunder; tremendous thunder
万ばん感かん
flood of emotions; many thoughts
万ばん難なん
many obstacles; innumerable difficulties
万ばん人にんN1
all people; everybody
万ばん乗じょう
sovereignty; imperial authority
万ばん別べつ
various differentiations; many distinctions
万ばん劫ごう
eternity; an extremely long time
万ばん化か
many changes; myriad transformations
万ばん千せん
tremendous number; myriad; countless

See all 80 in Explore →

Written forms

万ばんUsage1%
Standard kanji spelling for this adverbial use.
ばんUsage99%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the adverbial nuance is emphasized.

Etymology

Derived from the kanji 万 (ten thousand), used here in an extended sense to mean 'by any chance' or 'in any way', which evolved into an emphatic negative adverb.