ジョークだけ
jōku dake
The English phrase "joke only" is translated into Japanese as ジョークだけ (jōku dake).
The phrase is used to indicate that something is meant as a joke and not to be taken seriously. While ジョークだけ is a literal way to express this, native speakers more frequently use the word 冗談 (jōdan) to discuss jokes in daily conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the loanword ジョーク (jōku), meaning "joke" and the particle だけ (dake), meaning "only".
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the loanword ジョーク and the native Japanese word 冗談 (jōdan). The latter, 冗談, is much more commonly used in everyday Japanese conversation than the loanword version.
How does it change in a sentence?
In informal settings, a more natural way to say "I'm joking" or "It's a joke" is 冗談だよ (jōdan da yo).
How do you pronounce it?
jōku dake
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese theater like Rakugo, the 'joke' or punchline is called the 落ち (ochi), which literally means 'the fall', referring to the way the story drops suddenly into a conclusion.
- Japanese has a specific term 駄洒落 (dajare) for a type of joke that relies on puns, which is treated as a distinct category of humor separate from the general 冗談.
- In Japanese culture, the phrase 冗談だよ is often used as a 'social lubricant' to soften a blunt request or a critical comment, making the statement feel less like an attack and more like a shared game.
Examples in context
- 最近よく寝てる？ – 寝てないよ！お金が勝手に逃げるから追いかけてるんだよ！Have you been sleeping well lately? – No, I haven't! Money keeps running away, so I'm chasing after it!
Example conversation
Hana tells Ren she is moving to another country as a prank.
- 陽葵 Himari実は、来月海外に引っ越すことになったの。Jitsu wa, raigetsu kaigai ni hikkosu koto ni natta no.Actually, I've decided to move abroad next month.
- 蓮 Renえっ、本当に？びっくりしたよ！Eh, hontō ni? Bikkuri shita yo!What, really? You surprised me!
- 陽葵 Himariふふふ、ジョークだけだよ、蓮くん。Fufufu, jōku dake da yo, Ren-kun.Hehe, it was only a joke, Ren.
- 蓮 Renもう、ひどい冗談だね。Mō, hidoi jōdan da ne.Geez, that's a mean joke.
