毛頭ない

• Reading: もうとうない
• Romaji: moutounai
• Kanji breakdown: 毛 (mō/ke) — hair; 頭 (tō/atama) — head, tip
• Pronunciation: /mo̞ː.to̞ː.na.i/

Meaning

Not in the least; not at all; absolutely not. An emphatic negation expressing that something is entirely absent or not the case.

An i-adjective used exclusively with negation (毛頭〜ない / 毛頭〜つもりはない). 毛頭 literally means 'the tip of a hair' — an extremely small thing — so 毛頭ない means 'not even to the extent of a hair's tip', i.e. absolutely not. Very formal and emphatic. Commonly appears in declarations: そんなつもりは毛頭ない (I have absolutely no such intention). Found in formal speeches, written prose, and courtroom or political language.

Examples

1. 彼を傷つけるつもりは毛頭なかったが、言葉が独り歩きしてしまった。 I had absolutely no intention of hurting him, but my words took on a life of their own.
2. 規則を曲げるつもりは毛頭ない、と部長は静かだが断固として言い切った。 The department head said quietly but firmly that he had not the slightest intention of bending the rules.
3. 不正を見逃すつもりは毛頭ないと、監査チームは調査を続けた。 The audit team pressed on with their investigation, with not the least intention of overlooking any wrongdoing.

Usage Guide

Context: declarations, formal speech, politics, legal, written prose

Tone: emphatic, resolute

Origin & History

From 毛頭 (mōtō — the tip of a hair), combined with ない (nai — not). The image of 'not even a hair's breadth' emphasises the absolute totality of the negation.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: Educated, Formal