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煮え切らない (にえきらない) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, i-adjective
half-cooked ; vague ; halfhearted ; indecisive
Literally 'not fully boiled'; figuratively describes a person's attitude, response, or action that lacks clarity, commitment, or decisiveness. Often used in the phrase 煮え切らない態度.
煮に え 切き ら ない 態たい 度ど を とる の は やめ て 、 はっきり 言い っ て ください 。
Stop being so wishy-washy and say it clearly.
Similar words 煮に え 切き る The affirmative form meaning 'to be fully boiled' or figuratively 'to be fully committed'; 煮え切らない is its negative, used almost exclusively in figurative contexts.
優ゆう 柔じゅう 不ふ 断だん A noun/adjective meaning 'indecisive' or 'irresolute'; more formal and direct than 煮え切らない, which carries a nuance of evasiveness or lack of clarity.
Etymology From the negative form of 煮え切る (to be fully boiled), a compound of 煮える (to be boiled) and 切る (to cut/do completely). The figurative sense developed from the idea of something not being thoroughly cooked, implying incompleteness or lack of firmness.
