ぐうの音も出ない
Significado: Completely speechless, unable to argue back — so thoroughly defeated in an argument that you cannot even make a sound.
An expressive idiom describing total rhetorical defeat. When someone presents an argument so airtight or a criticism so accurate that there is absolutely nothing to say in response, that is ぐうの音も出ない. The ぐう represents the smallest possible utterance — even that tiny sound cannot escape. It is used to acknowledge being completely outmatched in a debate or confronted with an undeniable truth.
Ejemplos
- 正論すぎてぐうの音も出なかった。 说得太有道理了,我完全哑口无言。Era un argumento tan acertado que me quedé completamente sin palabras.너무 정론이라 ぐうの音も出なかった(꼼짝도 못 했다).
- データ出されたらぐうの音も出ないよ。 人家把数据摆出来了,我根本无话可说。Cuando te presentan los datos, no puedes decir absolutamente nada.데이터를 들이밀면 ぐうの音も出ない(반박할 수가 없어).
- あの反論にはぐうの音も出ないわ。 面对那个反驳我真是一句话都说不出来。Ante esa réplica me quedé totalmente mudo.그 반론에는 ぐうの音も出ない(할 말이 없어).
Pronunciación
/guː.no.ne.mo.de.na.i/
Guía de uso
Contexto: debates, everyday conversation, social media
Tono: impressed, defeated
✓ Correcto
- その指摘にはぐうの音も出ないわ (I have absolutely nothing to say to that point)对于那个指摘我真是哑口无言(面对那个观点我完全无话可说)その指摘にはぐうの音も出ないわ (No tengo absolutamente nada que decir ante ese argumento)その指摘にはぐうの音も出ないわ (그 지적에는 정말 할 말이 없어)
- ぐうの音も出ない正論だね (That's an argument so right you can't even talk back)真是让人无法反驳的正论啊(那个论点正确到让人说不出话来)ぐうの音も出ない正論だね (Es un argumento tan certero que no puedes ni rechistar)ぐうの音も出ない正論だね (반박할 수 없을 만큼 옳은 말이네)
✗ Incorrecto
- 論破して「ぐうの音も出ないでしょ」と追い打ちするのは性格が悪い (Winning an argument and adding 'you have nothing to say, do you?' is mean-spirited)在辩论中赢了之后还追一句'你无话可说了吧',这种行为很没品(赢了争论还落井下石是很恶劣的)論破して「ぐうの音も出ないでしょ」と追い打ちするのは性格が悪い (Ganar una discusión y añadir «no tienes nada que decir, ¿verdad?» es de mala persona)論破して「ぐうの音も出ないでしょ」と追い打ちするのは性格が悪い (논파해 놓고 '할 말 없지?'라고 쐐기를 박는 건 성격이 나쁜 짓이다)
Errores comunes
- Mispronouncing or misspelling ぐう — it is not a common word outside this idiom
- Using it in formal writing — it is a conversational expression better suited to casual contexts
Origen e historia
An old Japanese expression where ぐう represents the smallest possible sound one could make. The idiom means being so thoroughly silenced that even this tiny sound cannot come out. Used in Japanese for centuries.
Contexto cultural
Era: Long-standing idiom, still widely used
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. A classic expression that appears in everyday conversation, manga, and online discussions.
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