Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
The informal negative copula (“is not,” “are not”), and an expressive particle used for confirmation or gentle assertion (“isn’t it?”).
๐ฏ Primary Function
To negate a noun or ใช-adjective predicate informally, or to add expressive force (confirmation/assertion) to any statement.
๐ Grammar Structure
V (Plain form) / Noun + ใใใชใ
ใ-Adj (Plain/Full form) + ใใใชใ
ใช-Adj (Stem) + ใใใชใ
Noun + ใใใชใ
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Should be avoided. Use ใงใฏใใใพใใ or ใงใฏใชใใงใ.
Informal Situations
Used constantly with friends, family, and close colleagues. Highly appropriate.
Written Language
Used in casual writing (e.g., text messages, manga dialogue) but generally avoided in formal essays or reports.
Spoken Language
One of the most frequent expressions, often shortened to ใใใญ๏ผ or ใใใ.
๐ก Common Applications
Informal Negative Statement
Used as the casual equivalent of ใงใฏใใใพใใ (de wa arimasen) or ใงใฏใชใใงใ (de wa nai desu) to state a negative fact.
Example: ๅฝผใฏๅป่
ใใใชใใ (Kare wa isha janai. – He is not a doctor.)
Confirmation/Question Tag
Attached to the plain form of a sentence, often with rising intonation, to seek confirmation or agreement from the listener.
Example: ๆๆฅใไผ่ญฐใใใใใใชใ๏ผ (Ashita, kaigi ga aru janai? – We have a meeting tomorrow, don’t we?)
Surprise/Gentle Assertion (Realization)
Used with falling intonation (often followed by ใ or ใ) to express realization, surprise, or to remind the listener of something that should be obvious.
Example: ใใฎไบบใ้จ้ทใใใชใ๏ผ (Ano hito, buchล janai! – Hey, that person is the section chief!)
Frequency
Extremely High (Especially in spoken language)
Difficulty
N3-N2 (Basic negative is N5, but expressive uses are N3+)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
ๅฝผๅฅณใฏๅญฆ็ใใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใฏ ใใใใ ใใใชใใ
Romaji: Kanojo wa gakusei janai.
English: She is not a student.
Example #2
ใใฎๅ้กใฏๆใฃใใใ้ฃใใใชใใใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใฎ ใใใ ใใฏ ใใใฃใใใ ใใใใใใชใ ใใใชใใ
Romaji: Kono mondai wa omotta yori muzukashiku nai janai.
English: This problem isn’t as difficult as I thought, is it?
Example #3
ใใๆ้ใใชใใใใชใใใๆฅใใ๏ผ
Furigana: ใใ ใใใใใชใ ใใใชใใใใใใใ๏ผ
Romaji: Mล jikan ga nai janai ka. Isogล!
English: We don’t have time anymore, do we? Let’s hurry!
Example #4
ใใใฏใใชใใฎๆ่ฆใใใชใใงใใ๏ผ
Furigana: ใใใฏ ใใชใใฎ ใใใ ใใใชใใงใใ๏ผ
Romaji: Sore wa anata no iken janai desho?
English: That’s not your opinion, is it?
Example #5
ใใใชใซๅฟ้
ใใใใจใใใชใใใ
Furigana: ใใใชใซ ใใใฑใ ใใ ใใจ ใใใชใใใ
Romaji: Sonnani shinpai suru koto janai yo.
English: It’s not something to worry about so much.
Example #6
ๅฝผใ็ฏไบบใใใชใใฃใฆใไฟกใใใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใใ ใฏใใซใ ใใใชใใฃใฆใใใใใใใชใใ
Romaji: Kare ga hannin janai tte, shinjirarenai.
English: I can’t believe he’s not the culprit.
Example #7
ไปๆฅใไฝ่คใใใซไผใ็ดๆใ ใฃใใใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใใจใใใใซ ใใ ใใใใใ ใฃใ ใใใชใใ
Romaji: Kyล, Satล-san ni au yakusoku datta janai.
English: We had an appointment to meet Sato-san today, didn’t we?
Example #8
ใใใใ็ตใใฃใใฎ๏ผๆฉใใใใใใชใ๏ผ
Furigana: ใใใใ ใใใฃใใฎ๏ผ ใฏใใใใ ใใใชใ๏ผ
Romaji: E, mล owatta no? Hayasugiru janai!
English: Huh, it’s already over? That’s too fast!
Example #9
ๅฝผใฃใฆใใใคใ้
ๅปใใไบบใใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใใฃใฆใใใคใ ใกใใใใ ใฒใจ ใใใชใใ
Romaji: Kare tte, itsumo chikoku suru hito janai.
English: He is the kind of person who is always late, isn’t he?
Example #10
ใใใฏ็งใๆณจๆใใๆ็ใใใชใใ
Furigana: ใใใฏ ใใใใ ใกใ
ใใใใใ ใใใใ ใใใชใใ
Romaji: Kore wa watashi ga chลซmon shita ryลri janai.
English: This is not the dish I ordered.
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
Intonation Dictates Meaning
When used as a question tag with rising intonation, ใใใชใ functions exactly like an informal “isn’t it?” or “right?” seeking agreement.
Example: A: ้
ใใ๏ผ B: ใใใใพใ ๏ผๆใใใชใ๏ผ (A: Osoi yo! B: Are, mada go-ji janai? – A: You’re late! B: Huh, isn’t it only 5 o’clock?)
Use with ใใใ for Stronger Assertion
Adding the particle ใ (ka) often emphasizes the assertion or realization, sometimes carrying a slight tone of scolding or reminding.
Example: ใใใชใซ็ฐกๅใใใชใใ๏ผ (Konnani kantan janai ka! – See? It’s this easy!)
Contraction to ใใใใใ (Jan)
ใใใใใ is an even more casual and common contraction of ใใใชใใ, widely used by younger generations.
Example: ใใใ็ฐไธญใใใฎใใใใ (Sore, Tanaka-san no jan. – That’s Tanaka’s, right/isn’t it?)
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ใ้จ้ทใใใใฏ็งใฎๆ
ๅฝใใใชใใใ (Buchล, kore wa watashi no tantล janai.)
โ
Use ใงใฏใใใพใใ or ใงใฏใชใใงใ.
Using ใใใชใ in a formal setting, such as a business meeting or presentation, sounds disrespectful and overly casual.
โ ใใใใฏใใณใใใชใใ้็ญใ ใใ (Kore wa pen janai, enpitsu da.)
โ
Use ใใใชใใฆ (Janakute) or ใงใฏใชใใฆ (De wa nakute).
ใใใชใ is the plain negative predicate. When connecting two clauses or listing things, the connective form is required.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Very Informal (Plain/Casual)
Social Situations: Reserved for close in-group members (uchi), where casual speech is acceptable. Avoid using it with superiors or elders unless you have a very close relationship.
Regional Variations: Frequently shortened to ใใใ (jan) in Kanto region (especially Tokyo) and increasingly across Japan. In Kansai, ใใชใ (yanai) is often heard.
๐ Subtle Differences
ใใใชใ (Janai) vs. ใงใฏใชใ (De wa nai)
ใงใฏใชใ is the standard plain negative form, suitable for written Japanese and slightly more formal spoken contexts. ใใใชใ is a contracted form of ใงใฏใชใ, primarily used in casual speech.
When to use: Use ใงใฏใชใ in essays, formal reports, or when speaking to someone you respect but are not close to. Use ใใใชใ with friends and family.
ใใใชใ (Janai) vs. ใใใ (Jan)
ใใใ is a common, highly informal contraction of ใใใชใใ/ใใใชใ which often carries a stronger feeling of confirmation or assertion, similar to “You know?” or “Right?” in English.
When to use: Use ใใใชใ when speaking casually but clearly. Use ใใใ when aiming for maximum casualness, especially with peers.
๐ Conjugation Notes
The basic form is Noun/ใช-Adj + ใใใชใ. When used as a confirmation tag, it attaches to the plain form of any verb or adjective (e.g., ่กใใใใชใ, ๅฏใใใใชใ). In the past tense, it becomes ใใใชใใฃใ (janakatta).
๐ Pronunciation Tips
The “j” sound is pronounced like the “j” in “jump.” When used as a tag, it is often pronounced quickly, sometimes sounding like “ja nai.” Pay close attention to the final intonation: rising for a question, falling for an assertion.
๐ง Memory Tips
Think of ใใใชใ as the casual friend of ใงใ. Just as ใงใ becomes ใใใชใ in the negative plain form (replacing ใงใฏใชใ), it marks the informal negative statement. Remember the famous line: “I am not a cat!” -> ใ็ซใใใชใ๏ผใ
Other Grammar
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