Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| うるさい | urusai | [ɯ̟ɾɯ̟sa̠i] (narrow) | impolite |
| お静かに | o-shizuka ni | polite | |
| お黙り | o-damari |
The most common way to say "shut up" is うるさい, which is often used as an outburst. Depending on the context, it can mean "noisy," "loud," or a command to stop talking. It is not limited to people. You can also use うるさい to describe an object or an environment that is noisy.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, うるさい means "noisy" or "annoying."
Which one should you use?
The forms differ significantly in tone and intent. うるさい is a blunt, impolite way to tell someone they are being noisy or annoying. In contrast, お静かに is a polite way to request that someone be quiet. The imperative form 黙れ is a much more aggressive and direct way to say "shut up" than うるさい.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
うるさい is considered impolite and is often used as an informal, blunt command or an angry outburst. For a polite way to ask for silence, use お静かに.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
urusai
Did you know?
- While うるさい is used as 'shut up' today, it can also be used to describe someone who is overly fastidious or 'picky' about details.
- The word うるさい was once used to express being overwhelmed by something in a positive, thorough way. Only later did it shift to describing something that is troublesome or annoying.
- In modern anime and manga, うるさい is often shortened to a sharp うるせ！ to sound more aggressive or masculine.
Examples in context
- もううるさいな！Shut up already!This sentence shows an impatient way to say "Shut up already!" using うるさい.Tatoeba #9926683 by small_snow, translation #9926684 by DJ_Saidez
- 隣の猫って、ニャーニャーうるさいの。The cat next door won't ever shut up with all that meowing.This sentence uses うるさい to describe a cat that is being noisy.Tatoeba #11700360 by small_snow, translation #11760980 by end
- 「昨夜、猫の鳴き声がうるさくて寝れなかったよ」「一緒一緒。私も、目が覚めたよ」「隣のおっちゃん、我慢できなかったんだろうね。『うるさい！』って叫んだから、猫は逃げってったんだけど、今度はその声にびっくりして寝れなくなってさ、参ったよ」"I couldn't sleep last night because that cat wouldn't shut up with its meowing." "Same. I woke up, too." "And apparently my neighbor couldn't take it anymore either. When he yelled at the cat to shut up, it ran away, but I was so startled I couldn't go back to sleep."This sentence uses うるさい in a conversation about a cat's meowing and a neighbor yelling.Tatoeba #10335041 by small_snow, translation #10335045 by DJ_Saidez
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A brother and sister are arguing in their living room.
- 陽太 Yotaうるさい！Urusai!Shut up!
- 陽葵 Himariそんなに怒らないでよ。Sonna ni okoranaide yo.Don't get so angry.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵が喋りすぎなんだよ。Himari ga shaberisugi nanda yo.It's because you talk too much, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari兄ちゃん、ひどいよ。Niichan, hidoi yo.You're being mean, big brother.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations and entries うるさい, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries うるさい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
