口くち答ごたえ

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Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

口答えする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	口くち答ごたえする	口くち答ごたえしない
Polite	口くち答ごたえします	口くち答ごたえしません
Past polite	口くち答ごたえしました	口くち答ごたえしませんでした
Past	口くち答ごたえした	口くち答ごたえしなかった
Te-form	口くち答ごたえして	口くち答ごたえしないで
Desire	口くち答ごたえしたい	口くち答ごたえしたくない
Potential	口くち答ごたえできる	口くち答ごたえできない
Passive	口くち答ごたえされる	口くち答ごたえされない
Causative	口くち答ごたえさせる	口くち答ごたえさせない
Causative passive	口くち答ごたえさせられる	口くち答ごたえさせられない
Volitional	口くち答ごたえしよう
Polite volitional	口くち答ごたえしましょう
Imperative	口くち答ごたえしろ	口くち答ごたえするな
Conditional	口くち答ごたえすれば	口くち答ごたえしなければ
Tara conditional	口くち答ごたえしたら	口くち答ごたえしなかったら

Meanings

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

talking back; retort; backtalk

Refers to answering back defiantly or rudely, especially to a superior or elder. Often used in negative contexts or as something to be scolded for.

子こ供どもが親おやに口くち答ごたえをするなんて、許ゆるせない。
I can't forgive a child talking back to their parents.
彼かれは上じょう司しに口くち答ごたえして、怒おこられた。
He talked back to his boss and got scolded.

See all 20 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に口くち答ごたえするto talk back to someone
子こ供どもが先せん生せいに口くち答ごたえした。
The child talked back to the teacher.
口くち答ごたえを許ゆるさないto not tolerate backtalk
父ちちは口くち答ごたえを許ゆるさない人ひとだった。
My father was a man who wouldn't tolerate backtalk.
口くち答ごたえするなdon't talk back
先せん生せいに口くち答ごたえするな。
Don't talk back to your teacher.
口くち答ごたえ一ひとつ言いうto say even a single word of backtalk
彼かれは口くち答ごたえ一ひとつ言いわずに命めい令れいに従したがった。
He followed the order without a single word of backtalk.

Kanji

口mouth
答solution, answer
応apply, answer, yes

Related words

言いい返かえすN2
言い返す is the general verb for 'to retort or talk back', while 口答え specifically names the defiant, disrespectful act of backtalk toward a superior.
反はん論ろんN2
反論 is a formal, logical 'counterargument' used in debate, whereas 口答え is emotional, often childish backtalk that invites scolding.
反はん抗こうN3
反抗 describes broader rebellious defiance or resistance, while 口答え is narrower, referring specifically to verbal backtalk.

Don't confuse with

生なま意い気きN3
生意気 is an adjective describing a cheeky, impertinent attitude in general, while 口答え is a noun naming the specific act of talking back.

Counted with

回かいN4
Used for occurrences; this is the natural way to count instances of backtalk.

Built from

口くち+答こたえる

Written forms

口くち答ごたえUsage79%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
口くちごたえUsage17%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling, often used when the kanji 答 is considered difficult or to soften the visual impression.
口くち応ごたえUsage4%
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage; 応 is not standard for this word and may be considered a mistake or non-standard variant.

Etymology

Compound of 口 (kuchi, 'mouth') and 答え (kotae, 'answer'), with rendaku voicing on the second element. Literally 'mouth-answer', the word has long carried a negative connotation of answering back impertinently.