頭あたまごなし

あ

た

ま

ご

な

し

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

adverb, noun

unsparingly; without listening; without giving a chance to explain

Almost always used in the adverbial phrase 頭ごなしに, meaning to reject, scold, or criticize someone without hearing them out or giving them a chance to explain.

彼かれは私わたしの言いい分ぶんを

聞き

か

ず

に

、

頭あたま

ごなし

に

否ひ

定てい

し

た

。

He rejected my opinion out of hand without listening to what I had to say.

上じょう司しに頭あたまごなしに叱しかられて、何なにも言いえなかった。

I was scolded unsparingly by my boss and couldn't say anything.

Kanji

頭head, counter for large animals

Related words

一いっ方ぽう的てき
一方的 means 'one-sided' in a broader sense (e.g., a one-sided decision, one-sided love), while 頭ごなし specifically implies shutting someone down without listening.
有う無むを言いわさず
有無を言わさず means 'without giving someone a say' and is similar in meaning, but 頭ごなし emphasizes the refusal to listen or consider the other person's explanation.

Etymology

Compound of 頭 (atama, 'head') and ごなし (gonashi), from the verb ごなす (gonasu, 'to break into pieces, to treat roughly'). Literally 'head-breaking', implying a forceful, dismissive attitude.