A casual interjection used to express refusal, denial, or disagreement. Often used in informal conversation.
「もう食べた？」「いや、まだ。」
"Have you eaten yet?" "No, not yet."
いや、それは違うと思う。
No, I think that's wrong.
いや is a casual, informal way to say no, while いいえ is the polite, formal counterpart used with strangers or superiors.
detest; dislike; loathe
yes or no; agreement or refusal
no; no no; not at all
reluctantly; unwillingly
whether one likes it or not; without choice; willy-nilly
compulsory; unavoidable; without choice
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 否 is rare and literary.
Kanji form is uncommon in modern usage; mainly seen in formal or literary contexts.
The exact derivation is uncertain; it is a native Japanese interjection expressing negation or refusal.