うん
un/m̩/
The English word 'yup' is translated into Japanese as うん (un).
うん is an informal way to say 'yes' in Japanese. It is best translated into English as 'yup' or 'yeah'. Other informal affirmative expressions include ああ, which can mean 'yeah' or 'uh-huh' and そうだね, which means 'that's right' or 'exactly'.
Meaning: (informal) yes (intj)
Which one should you use?
うん is used for casual agreement, whereas はい is the standard polite form used when speaking to strangers or superiors.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
うん is an informal expression suitable for use with friends and family. For polite situations, such as speaking to a boss or someone you do not know, you should use はい instead.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is un (/m̩/).
Did you know?
- The sound of うん is actually an onomatopoeic representation of the grunt one makes when straining or exerting physical effort.
- If you use うん with a teacher or a boss, it may be perceived not just as informal, but as being outright rude or dismissive.
- In Japanese conversation, うん is often used as a 'backchannel' signal to show the speaker you are listening, rather than just to agree with a question.
Examples in context
- うん、わかった。un, wakatta.Yup, I got it.
- うん、大丈夫だよ。un, daijoubu da yo.Yup, it's okay.
- うん、行くよ。un, iku yo.Yup, I'm going.
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking casually at home.
- 健太 Kenta陽葵、これ食べる？Himari, kore taberu?Himari, do you want to eat this?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、食べる。un, taberu.Yup, I'll eat it.
- 健太 Kentaおいしいよ。oishii yo.It's delicious.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう、健太。arigatou, Kenta.Thanks, Kenta.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry うん, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries うん, CC BY-SA 4.0.
