Translation guide
An emphatic negative phrase used to strongly deny something or to say that something is definitely not the case. In Japanese, this is expressed with various negative constructions and adverbs, depending on the nuance.
To emphatically deny a statement or possibility, equivalent to 'absolutely not' or 'not in any way'.
A common and versatile pattern for strong denial. '決して' means 'never' or 'by no means', and must be used with a negative verb form. Suitable for both spoken and written Japanese.
それは決して簡単なことではない。
That is by no means an easy thing.
彼は決して嘘をつかない。
He by no means tells lies.
To soften a statement or indicate that something is not entirely true, similar to 'not exactly' or 'hardly'.
Means 'not necessarily' or 'not always'. It is used to say that something is not universally true, which can be equivalent to 'by no means' in certain contexts.
高いものが必ずしも良いとは限らない。
Expensive things are by no means always good.
Do not try to translate 'by no means' word-for-word into Japanese. The phrase is an idiomatic English intensifier, and Japanese uses various negative polarity items and sentence-final particles to achieve a similar effect. Using 決して〜ない is the safest default.
決して諦めない。
I will by no means give up.
決して is more formal and emphatic, often used in written language or serious speech. 全然 is casual and common in everyday conversation. While both can mean 'by no means', 全然 is more like 'not at all' and can be used in positive contexts in very informal speech (though this is non-standard).
決して忘れません。
I will by no means forget. (formal)
彼が来るかどうかは決して確かではない。
It is by no means certain that he will come.
彼女は決して馬鹿ではない。
She is by no means stupid.
A very common casual pattern meaning 'not at all'. While often translated as 'not at all', it can convey 'by no means' in emphatic contexts. More conversational than 決して.
全然問題ないよ。
It's by no means a problem.
あの映画は全然面白くなかった。
That movie was by no means interesting.
Literally 'not even a little', this pattern emphasizes a complete lack of something. It can be used to mean 'by no means' when denying a quality or quantity.
彼の説明は少しも分からなかった。
I by no means understood his explanation.
Expresses that something is utterly impossible or out of the question. Stronger than 決して, often used when something cannot be done no matter what.
彼の記録は到底破れない。
His record is by no means breakable.
Used to express disbelief or that something is unthinkable. Often translated as 'surely not' or 'by no means' in rhetorical questions or strong denials.
まさか彼が犯人ではないだろう。
He is by no means the culprit, surely.
A casual phrase meaning 'not particularly' or 'not really'. It can be used to downplay a statement, similar to 'by no means' in a softer tone.
別に怒ってないよ。
I'm by no means angry.
I haven't forgotten at all. (casual)
I haven't forgotten at all. (casual)