口幅ったい

• Reading: くちはばったい
• Romaji: kuchihabattai
• Kanji breakdown: 口 (kuchi) — mouth; 幅 (haba) — width, breadth
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.tɕi.ha.bat.ta.i/

Meaning

Presumptuous; impudent; bold in speech. Describes saying something beyond one's station or speaking with more confidence than one's position warrants.

An i-adjective suggesting that one's mouth is 'too wide' — i.e., one speaks with greater authority than is appropriate. Frequently used self-deprecatingly in formal or polite contexts: 口幅ったいことを申しますが (I know it is presumptuous of me to say, but…). It acknowledges the potential impertinence of speaking boldly while still proceeding.

Examples

1. 口幅ったいことを言うようですが、この計画には根本的な欠陥があります。 I know it's presumptuous of me to say, but there is a fundamental flaw in this plan.
2. まだ新人の私が口幅ったいとは思いながらも、意見を述べさせていただきます。 Though I realize it's bold for a newcomer like me, I'd like to offer my opinion.
3. 先輩に向かってそんな口幅ったいことを言うのは礼儀に欠ける。 Saying something that presumptuous to a senior colleague is a breach of etiquette.

Usage Guide

Context: formal speech, self-deprecating prefaces, hierarchical settings

Tone: deferential yet assertive

Origin & History

Compound of 口幅 (kuchihaba — breadth of one's mouth/speech) and ったい, a suffix intensifying the adjective. The image is of a mouth that is too wide — speaking beyond what one's position allows.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Professional/Academic