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断る (ことわる, kotowaru) Japanese meaning: refuse | Kotomora
Common word› JLPT N3 › Freq. Frequency Top 5,000 Conjugation 断る · godan verb (-ru)
Form Positive Negative Dictionary 断ことわ る 断ことわ らない Polite 断ことわ ります 断ことわ りません Past polite 断ことわ りました 断ことわ りませんでした Past 断ことわ った 断ことわ らなかった Te-form 断ことわ って 断ことわ らないで Desire 断ことわ りたい 断ことわ りたくない Potential 断ことわ れる 断ことわ れない Passive 断ことわ られる 断ことわ られない Causative 断ことわ らせる 断ことわ らせない Causative passive 断ことわ らせられる also 断ことわ らされる 断ことわ らせられない also 断ことわ らされない Volitional 断ことわ ろう Polite volitional 断ことわ りましょう Imperative 断ことわ れ 断ことわ るな Conditional 断ことわ れば 断ことわ らなければ Tara conditional 断ことわ ったら 断ことわ らなかったら
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は
招しょう
待たい
を
丁てい
寧ねい
に
断ことわ
っ
た
。
He politely declined the invitation.
It's hard to turn down an offer.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 の 誘さそ いを 断ことわ る to turn down someone's invitation
I feel bad about turning down my friend's invitation.
あらかじめ 断ことわ っておく to give notice in advance
I let them know beforehand that I would be late.
〈 人ひと 〉 に 断ことわ ってから 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something after informing/getting permission from someone
I left the classroom after asking the teacher's permission.
きっぱり ( と ) 断ことわ る to flatly refuse
He flatly refused those conditions.
Expressions 体てい よく 断ことわ る decline politely; refuse gracefully; turn down without offending 断ことわ りを 入い れる inform in advance; give notice; ask permission beforehand Kanji 断 severance, decline, refuse Related words· 12 拒否する is a stronger, more formal refusal often used for official or institutional rejections, while 断る is the everyday word for turning something down.
辞退する is used specifically for politely declining an offer, invitation, or position, whereas 断る covers any kind of refusal.
拒む is a more literary word for refusing or resisting something, while 断る is the common, neutral verb for saying no.
断る is the standard, everyday word for refusing something, whereas 辞す is a stiffer, more formal way to express refusal.
Show 8 more 謝る once meant to decline something but this use is dated; modern Japanese uses 断る for refusing or declining.
断る is the everyday word for refusing an offer or request, while 否む is a more formal, literary term for the same act.
断る is the everyday word for declining or refusing, while 退ける carries a stronger sense of authority or firm dismissal.
Opposites 承諾する means to accept or consent to a request, the opposite of 断る which means to refuse it.
断る means to refuse or decline a request, the opposite of 引き受ける, which means to accept and take it on.
断る means to refuse or decline a request, the opposite of 請け負う, which means to accept and take on the job.
Don't confuse with 断つ (たつ) shares the kanji with 断る but means to cut off or sever something (like a relationship or supply), not to refuse a request.
断る means 'to refuse' or 'to give notice/ask permission', and 断らず is its negative continuative form meaning 'without asking/refusing', so learners must track which sense of 断る is active.
Word family declining; refusal; rejection · notice; announcement
notice; notification; warning · permission; consent · refusal; rejection; declining · excuse; plea
explanatory note; disclaimer; caveat
Written forms 断ことわ る Usage 81%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
断こと わる Usage 13%
Variant spelling; less common.
ことわる Usage 6%
Etymology Compound of 事 (koto, 'thing, matter') + 割る (waru, 'to divide, split'). Originally meant 'to separate matters' or 'to distinguish', later shifting to 'to give a clear answer' and then 'to refuse'.
断る is the plain, neutral verb for refusing a request, while 蹴飛ばす figuratively conveys a blunt, forceful rejection.
断る is the common everyday word for refusing or declining, while 謝絶 is a more formal term used in official or written contexts.
断る is the everyday, neutral verb for declining an offer or request, whereas 蹴る (reject sense) adds a forceful, almost dismissive nuance.
断る is the common, everyday verb for declining something, while 拒絶 is a formal, often written noun used for absolute, forceful rejection.
断る is the general verb for refusing a request or offer, while 振る often carries the narrower emotional sense of romantically rejecting or dumping someone.
N2
受け付ける means to accept an application or request, while 断る means to refuse it.
