Saying no in Japanese is a tricky subject. The people in Japan will rarely give a direct “no” as an answer, preferring instead to communicate indirectly a message that conveys “no”.
Japanese culture and by extension language evolved to optimize politeness and respect as a way of maintaining peace since times could quickly become uncertain. Saying “no” directly to someone is too disruptive in a society that values keeping the harmony at all costs. As a result, the Japanese will usually choose their words carefully, especially in business-related situations.

How to Say No in Japanese?

The exact word for no in Japanese is “いいえ (iie)” or more casually “ううん (uun)”. You can say いいえ to say no respectfully and won’t sound so harsh. ううん is more for saying with friends or people you’re familiar with. However, the Japanese actually use a wide range of expressions to avoid using a strong no.
For example, they could say chotto that conveys the “difficulty” to answer the request.
A:「明日一緒に飲みませんか?」Ashita, isshyo ni nomimasen ka?
B: 「ごめんなさい、明日はちょっと用事があって・・・」Gomennasai, ashita ha chotto youji ga atte…
A: Why don’t we drink together tomorrow?
B: I am sorry, tomorrow I have some errands…
Perhaps the best way to interpret no in Japanese is to understand the different levels. We have divided them into 4 groups, starting from definite expression to the grey area of the ambiguous no in Japanese.

When around Friends & Colleagues

• 無理(むり) – (Muri)- Impossible
• ダメ – (Dame)- No good
• 出来(でき)ない – (Dekinai)- Can not

The expressions むり, ダメ and できない are typically used by friends and close colleagues since it’s more direct and ideal for more casual situations. むり literally means something is impossible based upon the circumstances.
できない is less definite. The word shows the speaker’s regret that the circumstances would not allow acting in accordance with one’s request. Always keep in mind, these expressions are rarely if ever heard as a response to a request in business-related situations.

In a Business Context

• 厳(きび)しい – (Kibishii)- Hard (conditions)
• 難(むずか)しい – (Muzukashii)- Difficult
• 大変(たいへん) – (Taihen)- Hard (task)

These expressions seem to have similar translations in English but each carry different nuances. All these words are ideal to use in a formal or business setting. Saying 難しい (muzukashii) in response to a request is essentially an indirect and polite way to say no in Japanese. 厳しい(Kibishii) also serves a similar role to muzukashii when wanting to say no indirectly.
たいへん, on the other hand, refers to a suggestion or request that is not easy because of a situation’s complexity. The term たいへん can be subjective and creates ambiguity amongst the parties involved in various business relations.

Speaking Japanese in a formal capacity can seem overwhelming and full of nuances to be aware of. So, read our Introduction to Japanese Keigo to overcome that fear of speaking out of turn in delicate situations.

Other Ways to Indirectly Say “No” in Japanese

• 微妙(びみょう) – (Bimiyoe)- Delicate (situation)
• 忙(いそが)しい – (Isogashii)- Too busy
• 結構(けっこう)です – (Kekkoedesu)- No thank you

These words tend to dwell in the grey areas of meaning and interpreting. Even native Japanese speakers could misinterpret the signals these words are meant to express. But it’s possible the ambiguity is intentional to avoid commitment or disrupting harmony when multiple parties are involved in the decision-making.
The Japanese expression けっこうです may be the greyest of these expressions. The term can have complete opposite meanings such as an affirmative “ok” or a negative “no thank you”. Read here to learn more Words with Multiple Meanings.
びみょう expresses a borderline scenario where neither party can express certainty of what will play out. Despite the underlying uncertainty hinted in びみょう, more often than not, the speaker means to decline.
Which brings us to いそがしい, typically used as an excuse to decline a request. Therefore, people usually take it as a decline to an invitation and don’t bother asking to reschedule despite いそがしい literally meaning “busy”.

Showing Uncertainty to Indirectly Say “No”

• …かもしれません / かもしれない / かも – (…kamo shiremasen)- Perhaps
• 臨機応変 [りんきおうへん] に対応 [たいおう] する – (rinkiohhen ni taio suru)- Depends

If you thought, there weren’t enough ambiguous expressions for saying no in Japanese, above are a couple more. However, these 2 terms leave potential for an affirmative response. Initially, when someone uses these expressions, it may they are denying your request, however, they are actually expressing uncertainty of the current circumstances which could change in the future.
The expression, “りんきおうへんにたいおうする” is similar to the English expression: let’s play it by ear. This expression is often used to postpone difficult decisions at business meetings when the voting is not unanimous.
As you can see, saying “no” in Japanese is a tricky ordeal: ambiguous and subject to lots of interpretation.

What is the word for "No" in Japanese?

The direct translation for “no” in Japanese is 「いいえ」(iie). But there are many ways one can say “no” especially to be more polite in more formal or delicate situations.

What is a polite way to say "no" in Japanese?

There are many ways to say “no” politely in Japanese, such as simply saying “chotto” which implies the request is a bit difficult to fulfill.

In a situation when denying someone kindly offering something like a food or drink, you could say “kekkou desu” or even “daijoubu desu”. In a more formal context, saying “kibishii” or “muzukashii” would be a polite way of saying “no”.

Do Japanese People Never Say "No"? Do they say something else instead?

Japanese do say “no” but tend to do so in more indirect ways to avoid conflict. They don’t want to seem rude or outright decline someone. So, a few common phrases instead of a direct “no” include,

• 結構です (kekkou desu): It’s okay or I’m fine
• 厳しい (kibishii): tough/difficult situation
• 忙しい (isogashii): I’m busy