ぐうの音も出ない
Meaning
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.
Examples
- 正論すぎてぐうの音も出なかった。 That was so logically sound I couldn't say a single word back.
- データ出されたらぐうの音も出ないよ。 Once you pull out the data, there's nothing I can say.
- あの反論にはぐうの音も出ないわ。 I had absolutely no comeback to that argument.
Usage Guide
Context: debates, everyday conversation, social media
Tone: impressed, defeated
Do Say
- その指摘にはぐうの音も出ないわ (I have absolutely nothing to say to that point)
- ぐうの音も出ない正論だね (That's an argument so right you can't even talk back)
Don't Say
- 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)
Common Mistakes
- 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
Origin & History
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.
Cultural Context
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.
Related Phrases
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