そっけない

そ

っ

け

な

い

そっけない · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	そっけない	そっけなくない
Polite	そっけないです	そっけなくないですalso そっけなくありません
Past polite	そっけなかったです	そっけなくなかったですalso そっけなくありませんでした
Past	そっけなかった	そっけなくなかった
Te-form	そっけなくて	そっけなくなくて
Adverbial	そっけなく
Conditional	そっけなければ	そっけなくなければ
Tara conditional	そっけなかったら	そっけなくなかったら

Meanings

i-adjective

cold; curt; blunt; short

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person's attitude or reply that is unfriendly, dismissive, or lacking warmth. Often used for brief, indifferent responses.

彼かれはそっけない返へん事じをした。
He gave a curt reply.
店てん員いんの態たい度どがそっけなくて、がっかりした。
The clerk's attitude was cold, and I was disappointed.

See all 29 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉にそっけない態たい度どを取とるto treat someone in a cold, dismissive way
彼かれは最さい近きん、彼かの女じょにそっけない態たい度どを取とっている。
He's been acting cold toward his girlfriend lately.
そっけなく答こたえるto answer curtly
質しつ問もんにそっけなく答こたえて、彼かれはすぐに部屋へやを出でて行いった。
He answered the question curtly and immediately left the room.
そっけない返へん事じa curt reply
メールを送おくったが、そっけない返へん事じしか来こなかった。
I sent an email but only got a curt reply.
そっけない口く調ちょうで言いうto say something in a cold tone
「もう関かん係けいない」と、彼かの女じょはそっけない口く調ちょうで言いった。
"It doesn't matter anymore," she said in a cold tone.

Kanji

素elementary, principle, naked
気spirit, mind, air
無nothingness, none, ain't

Related words· 8

冷つめたいN5
冷たい is a broad word for coldness in temperature or personality, while 素っ気ない specifically describes a brusque, dismissive manner in a particular interaction.
無ぶ愛あい想そうN1
無愛想 describes a generally unsociable or blunt personality, while 素っ気ない usually describes a specific curt reply or attitude in the moment.
つっけんどん
つっけんどん emphasizes a rough, snappish tone of speech, whereas 素っ気ない focuses more on emotional distance and lack of warmth.
つれないN1
つれない often describes coldness specifically toward someone's feelings or affection (e.g. in romance), while 素っ気ない is more general everyday brusqueness.

Show 4 more

ぶっきらぼうN1
そっけない stresses emotional coldness and distance, while ぶっきらぼう focuses on the abrupt, unpolished way someone speaks or acts.
淡たん々たん
素っ気ない implies a curt, cold lack of warmth toward someone, while 淡々 is more neutral and can simply describe a matter-of-fact tone without any negative coldness.
冷れい淡たんN1
素っ気ない describes a brusque, curt manner in speech or behavior, while 冷淡 describes an underlying lack of warmth or sympathy in one's attitude.
事じ務む的てき
そっけない describes a curt, unfriendly response, while 事務的 implies a systematic, office-like detachment rather than plain rudeness.

Opposites

優やさしいN5
優しい describes a warm, kind attitude toward others, the opposite of the cold, dismissive manner described by 素っ気ない.

Don't confuse with

味あじ気けない
味気ない looks and sounds similar to 素っ気ない but means dull or uninteresting (like a flavorless life), not cold or curt behavior.
情なさけないN2
情けない sounds similar to 素っ気ない but means pathetic or shameful, unrelated to the coldness described by 素っ気ない.

Built from

素そ+っ気け

Written forms

そっけないUsage61%
Kana spelling is standard; usually written in kana.
素そっ気けないUsage28%
Kanji form seen in print; the reading そっけない is standard for this spelling.
素そっ気けないUsage7%
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana variant; the reading remains そっけない.
素そっ気け無ないUsage4%
Variant kanji form using 無い; less common than 素っ気ない.
素そっ気け無ない
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana variant with 無い; the reading remains そっけない.

Etymology

Derived from 素っ気 (sokke, 'coldness, indifference') + ない (negative adjective ending). The exact origin of 素っ気 is uncertain, but it may be related to 素 (su, 'bare, unadorned') with an emphatic geminate consonant.