音おん信しん不ふ通つう

also: いんしんふつう

お

ん

し

ん

ふ

つ

う

Meanings

1

noun

no communication; out of touch; not hearing from someone

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Describes a state where contact has been lost, typically with someone who is not responding or whose whereabouts are unknown. Often used in formal or serious contexts.

彼かれとは音おん信しん不ふ通つうになって

しまっ

た

。

I've lost contact with him.

音おん信しん不ふ通つうの状じょう態たいが続つづいている。

The state of no communication continues.

Kanji

音sound, noise
信faith, truth, fidelity
不negative, non-, bad
通traffic, pass through, avenue

Related words

不ふ通つう
不通 means 'suspended' or 'interrupted' (e.g., 電話不通). 音信不通 specifically refers to a break in personal communication.
連れん絡らくが取とれない
A more casual, everyday phrase meaning 'unable to get in touch'. 音信不通 is more formal and implies a longer or more complete loss of contact.

Built from

音おん信しん+不ふ通つう

Written forms

音信不通
- おんしんふつう
  Standard kanji form; the reading おんしんふつう is the most common.
- いんしんふつう
  Alternate reading; less common but still encountered.
いんしんふつう

Etymology

A yojijukugo (four-character compound) composed of 音信 (news, correspondence) and 不通 (interruption, suspension). The reading おんしんふつう is the standard on'yomi; いんしんふつう is a variant.