それはそう

• 読み: それはそう
• ローマ字: sore wa sō
• 発音: /so.ɾe wa soː/

意味

That's true though — a deadpan concession acknowledging someone's point is valid, often used when you can't argue back even if you want to.

それはそう is composed of completely ordinary Japanese words (それ = that, は = topic marker, そう = so/true), but its meme-like usage as a standalone reaction phrase gives it a distinct flavour. It conveys reluctant agreement — the speaker recognises the logic is sound but may not be happy about it. Online, it functions like a verbal shrug: you have no counterargument, so you concede with minimal effort. The flat, deadpan delivery is essential to the humour.

例文

1. 「寝なきゃ肌荒れるよ」「それはそう」
2. 金がないなら働けって言われたけど、それはそうなんだよな。
3. 「推しに会いたいならイベント行けば？」「それはそう」

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, social media, casual conversation, internet culture

トーン: deadpan, conceding, slightly reluctant

正しい言い方

• 「ダイエット中にケーキ食べるのはダメでしょ」「それはそう」 ('Eating cake while dieting is bad, right?' 'That's true though.')
• 怒られて「次から気をつけて」って言われた。それはそう。 (I got told off with 'Be careful next time.' I mean, that's true though.)

避ける言い方

• 目上の人への返答としては素っ気なさすぎる (As a reply to a superior — it sounds curt and dismissive)

よくある間違い

• Adding too many words after it — the power of それはそう is in its brevity as a standalone response
• Using it sincerely in formal conversation where a fuller acknowledgement is expected

起源と歴史

A natural Japanese phrase that gained meme status on Twitter and internet forums in the late 2010s. Its power comes from the deadpan brevity — a minimal, undefeatable concession to someone else's logic.

文化的背景

時代: Late 2010s meme adoption

世代: Teens to 30s (internet-savvy)

社会的背景: Universal informal, meme-adjacent

地域メモ: Used across all of Japan. Extremely common on Twitter/X as a quote-tweet reaction.