By
Japanese Language Expert
- B.A., Kwansei Gakuin University
Namiko Abe is a Japanese language teacher and translator, as well as a Japanese calligraphy expert. She has been a freelance writer for nearly 20 years.
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Updated on May 07, 2019
Daijoubu(大丈夫) means "OK" in Japanese. It can also mean "all right." In Japan, daijoubu is a common response to an order or instruction, such as a parent telling a child to clean his room or a boss explaining to an employee how to carry out a project.
Using Daijoubu
Daijoubu is often the word you would use to tell others you are "fine" in Japanese. Generally, it can mean both yes and no. Daijoubu is also used as a safe way to answer a question. However, many native speakers say that the word is overused in the Japanese language as a response in different situations.
Daijoubu and Daijoubu Desu
Daijoubuis sometimes paired withdesu(です), which by itself means "is," or when written as-n desu(ん です), means "it is."In different situations, the addition ofdesucan cause daijoubuto mean different things, depending on the context, as the following examples show:
- Suppose that someone says to you: “I heard you had been suffering from a terrible cold for a week. Are you OK now?” As a response, you might answer"daijobu desu"(I'm fine).
- When a waiter asks, “Do you want some water?” people mightrespond with,"Daijobu desu,"meaning “No thanks."
- If someone asks: "Are you hurt?" you might answer by saying,"daijoubu," which in this context means, "I am fine."
And if your host asks, "Is the water too hot?" an appropriate response might be,"daijoubu," which translates as "it's just fine."
Related Phrases
- Daijoubu desu ka(大丈夫ですか) can be used in formal situations. It means "Are you OK?"
- Daijoubu(which can also be spelled in Japanese as だいじょうぶ。) can mean, "I'm going to be all right."
So, if you're in no distress, content, happy, relaxed, and comfortable, and you're visiting Japan or talking with native Japanese speakers, know thatdaijoubu or daijoubu desuis nearly always an appropriate response.
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Abe, Namiko. "What Does Daijoubu Mean in Japanese?" ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/daijoubu-simple-japanese-phrases-2028353.Abe, Namiko. (2023, April 5). What Does Daijoubu Mean in Japanese? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/daijoubu-simple-japanese-phrases-2028353Abe, Namiko. "What Does Daijoubu Mean in Japanese?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/daijoubu-simple-japanese-phrases-2028353 (accessed April 2, 2024).