Shut up
Meaning: An exclamation of disbelief meaning 'no way!' or 'you're kidding!' — not necessarily rude.
While 'shut up' literally means 'be quiet,' Americans frequently use it as an expression of excited disbelief. Said with a rising, excited tone, it means 'I can't believe it!' It's typically accompanied by a smile or laugh. Context and tone are everything — the same words said angrily mean something completely different.
Examples
- I got engaged last night!' 'Shut up! Oh my God, congratulations! 我昨晚订婚了!''不会吧!天哪,恭喜恭喜!¡Me comprometí anoche!' '¡Venga ya! Dios mío, ¡enhorabuena!「昨夜婚約したの!」「うそでしょ!やだ、おめでとう!」「어젯밤에 약혼했어!」 「말도 안 돼! 세상에, 축하해!」
- These shoes were only fifteen dollars.' 'Shut up — where did you find those? 这双鞋才十五块钱。''不会吧——你在哪儿找到的?Estos zapatos me costaron solo quince dólares.' '¡No me digas! ¿Dónde los encontraste?「この靴たった15ドルだったんだよ。」「うそ——どこで見つけたの?」「이 신발 겨우 15달러였어.」 「말도 안 돼——어디서 찾은 거야?」
- Shut up, are you serious right now? That's incredible. 不会吧,你说真的?太不可思议了。Venga ya, ¿lo dices en serio? Eso es increíble.「うそでしょ、マジで言ってる?それすごいね。」「말도 안 돼, 진심이야? 대박이다.」
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: disbelief, excitement, surprise
Tone: excited, incredulous
✓ Do Say
- Shut up! That's amazing!不会吧!太棒了!¡Shut up! ¡Eso es increíble!Shut up! すごいじゃん!말도 안 돼! 대단하다!
- Shut up — no way!不会吧——不可能!Shut up — ¡no puede ser!Shut up——まさか!말도 안 돼——진짜?
✗ Don't Say
- Only works with clearly excited/happy tone — a flat or angry 'shut up' is rude只有在明显兴奋/开心的语气下才有效——语气平淡或愤怒的'shut up'是粗鲁的Solo funciona con un tono claramente entusiasta o alegre — un 'shut up' plano o enfadado resulta maleducado明らかに興奮した・嬉しい口調でのみ通じる——平坦な調子や怒った「shut up」は失礼になる확실히 신나고 기쁜 어조일 때만 통함——무표정하거나 화난 어조의 'shut up'은 무례하게 들림
Origin & History
The rude 'be quiet' meaning is centuries old. The American excited-disbelief usage became popular in the 1980s-90s, particularly associated with Valley Girl culture and shows like Seinfeld (Elaine's signature 'Shut up!' push).
Cultural Context
Era: 1980s-90s Valley Girl / pop culture
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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