うやむや

う

や

む

や

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

na-adjective, noun

vague; hazy; unsettled; indefinite

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)usually written using kana alone

Describes a situation, plan, or answer that is left unclear, unresolved, or deliberately ambiguous. Often used when something is allowed to remain undecided or is swept under the rug.

その問もん題だいはうやむやのままになっている。
The issue remains unresolved.
彼かれはうやむやな返へん事じをして、はっきり答こたえなかった。
He gave a vague reply and didn't answer clearly.

See all 9 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉をうやむやにするto leave a matter vague/unresolved (often deliberately, to avoid responsibility)
会かい社しゃは事じ件けんの責せき任にんをうやむやにした。
The company left the responsibility for the incident unresolved.
〈事こと〉がうやむやになるfor a matter to end up vague/unresolved
話はなし合あいの結けっ果か、問もん題だいはうやむやになった。
As a result of the discussion, the issue ended up unresolved.

Kanji

有possess, have, exist
耶question mark
無nothingness, none, ain't

Related words

曖あい昧まいN3
曖昧 focuses on ambiguity or lack of clarity in meaning or expression, while 有耶無耶 emphasizes a situation being deliberately left unsettled or swept under the rug.
不ふ明めい瞭りょう
不明瞭 is a formal, neutral word for indistinctness (e.g. of sound or speech), whereas 有耶無耶 is colloquial and often implies intentional avoidance or cover-up.
玉たま虫むし色いろ
玉虫色 describes an answer or decision made deliberately open to multiple interpretations, while 有耶無耶 describes a matter left unresolved or dropped without a clear conclusion.

Opposites

明めい確かくN3
明確 means clear and definite, the direct opposite of 有耶無耶's vague and unsettled state.

Don't confuse with

あやふやN1
あやふや and 有耶無耶 sound alike and both mean 'vague', but あやふや describes someone's uncertain memory or knowledge, while 有耶無耶 describes a matter or issue left deliberately unresolved.

Written forms

うやむやUsage85%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 有耶無耶 is ateji and rare.
ウヤムヤUsage11%
search-only kana form
Katakana form; search-only variant.
有う耶や無む耶やUsage4%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)
Ateji kanji form; rarely used in modern writing.

Etymology

From 有耶無耶, literally “is it or is it not?”, an expression whose indeterminate alternatives yielded the sense “unclear; ambiguous.”