冗談
jōdan[d͡ʑo̞ːdã̠ɴ]
The English phrase 'joke' can be translated into Japanese as 冗談 (jōdan).
冗談 can be translated as joke, jest or banter. If you want to describe a specifically funny story, you might use 笑い話. For Japanese puns, the term is 駄洒落. The loanword ジョーク is a common and direct way to say joke in Japanese.
Meaning: amusing story (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 冗談 literally breaks down into 冗 (redundant/superfluous) and 談 (talk/conversation).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the action of telling a joke, you use the verb phrase 冗談を言う (jōdan o iu).
How do you pronounce it?
jōdan
Did you know?
- In Japanese pop culture, a joke that is particularly bad or 'cringe' is often called 寒い (samui), which literally means 'cold'.
- If a joke is about a specific person or situation, Japanese speakers might use the term ネタ (neta), which originally referred to ingredients for cooking.
- Japanese has a specific category of humor called ボケ (boke) and ツッコミ (tsukkomi). The ボケ tells the joke or acts foolishly, and the ツッコミ provides the straight-man reaction by correcting them.
Examples in context
- 冗談ですよ。It's a joke.This sentence is useful for stating that something is a joke using 冗談.Tatoeba #398520 by bunbuku, translation #3507563 by CK
- 今のは冗談。That was a joke.This sentence is useful for noting that a specific comment was a joke using 冗談.Tatoeba #10906791 by bunbuku, translation #2549489 by CK
- 冗談キツっ！That joke was so cringe!This sentence is useful for expressing that a joke was cringe using 冗談.Tatoeba #12047421 by small_snow, translation #12134331 by end
- 今日のプレゼンテーションは面白いジョークでスタートしましょう。Let's kick off today's presentation with an interesting joke.
- お忙しいところ、冗談を言ってすみません。I apologize for making a joke while you're busy.
- 彼はお笑いタレントとして有名です。He is famous as a comedian.
- 昨日、友達が面白いジョークを教えてくれたよ。Yesterday, my friend told me a funny joke.
- 君の冗談ウケた！Your joke was hilarious!
- このお笑い番組はいつも面白い。This comedy show is always funny.
- 81 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himari今の、冗談で言ったの？Ima no, joudan de itta no?Was that a joke just now?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、ちょっとした冗談だよ。Un, chotto shita joudan da yo.Yeah, it was just a little joke.
- 陽葵 Himariびっくりしたよ！Bikkuri shita yo!You startled me!
- 大翔 Hirotoごめんごめん。Gomen gomen.Sorry, sorry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joke” translations and entries 冗談, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
