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言語道断 (gongodoudan) Japanese meaning: outrageous | Kotomora
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His behavior is absolutely outrageous.
Such an excuse is utterly inexcusable.
Kanji 道 road-way, street, district 断 severance, decline, refuse Related words 言語道断 is a stronger, more formal four-character idiom for something so outrageous it's beyond words, while 論外 simply marks something as not worth discussing.
言語道断 is a stronger, more literary four-character idiom meaning 'utterly unspeakable', often used in formal writing, whereas 以ての外 is slightly less extreme but still formal.
Written forms 言ごん 語ご 道どう 断だん
Standard kanji form; the most common spelling in modern Japanese.
言ごん 語ご 同どう 断だん
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji variant using 同 instead of 道; occasionally encountered but non-standard.
Etymology A yojijukugo of Chinese origin, literally 'words cut off', meaning something so outrageous that one is left speechless. The kanji 道断 (or 同断) suggests a break or severance of discourse.
