大丈夫
daijōbu[da̠iʑo̞ːbɯ̟]
In Japanese, the phrase for "alright" is 大丈夫 (daijōbu).
大丈夫 is a versatile term that can mean being alright in terms of safety or well-being, or it can mean "it's okay" in the sense of giving permission or expressing possibility. Additionally, saying 大丈夫 alone is a common way to politely decline an offer, functioning as "I'm fine" or "No thank you".
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of dai (big/great) and jōbu (peace/certainty/stability).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The plain form 大丈夫 is informal and should be used with friends or family. To make it polite and suitable for use with strangers or superiors, add です to the end to form 大丈夫です. For a more formal way to say "alright" when implying that something is sufficient or satisfactory, you can use 結構です. In very casual settings, you might use オッケー, which is an adoption of the English word "okay" or the straightforward いいよ.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something is not alright or not okay, add the negative じゃない to the end of 大丈夫 to form 大丈夫じゃない.
How do you pronounce it?
daijōbu
Did you know?
- The word 大丈夫 was originally used to describe a 'great man' or a heroic, reliable person in Chinese literature.
- Because 大丈夫 can mean both 'yes' and 'no' depending on the context, Japanese speakers often rely on head nods or shakes to clarify if they are accepting or declining an offer.
- The word 大丈夫 is used to describe a physical object's durability, such as whether a chair is 'alright' and won't break under a person's weight.
Examples in context
- 大丈夫ですか？Are you alright?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is alright.Tatoeba #137493 by bunbuku, translation #982273 by Arraroak
- トムは大丈夫？Is Tom alright?This sentence is useful for asking if Tom is alright.Tatoeba #8697029 by bunbuku, translation #4927701 by Hybrid
- 大丈夫。忙しいだけだよ。I'm alright, I'm just busy.This sentence is useful for saying that you are alright and just busy.Tatoeba #9419319 by small_snow, translation #9419316 by DJ_Saidez
- 友達: 映画を見に行こうか？
あなた: いいよ！Friend: Shall we go watch a movie?
You: Alright! - 兄: 明日、サッカーをしに行くよ。行く？
弟: オッケー！Brother: I'm going to play soccer tomorrow. Wanna come?
Younger Brother: Alright! - 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are walking in the park when Yui trips slightly.
- 陽太 Yota大丈夫？Daijoubu?Are you alright?
- 結衣 Yui大丈夫、平気だよ。Daijoubu, heiki da yo.I'm alright, I'm fine.
- 陽太 Yota足、痛くない？Ashi, itakunai?Does your leg hurt?
- 結衣 Yui全然大丈夫だよ。Zenzen daijoubu da yo.It's totally alright.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 大丈夫, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 大丈夫, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
