邪魔(じゃま)

じゃま
noun, na-adjective
hindrance, nuisance
descriptive
See also: 邪魔(じゃま)する (verb form)
1. hindrance, obstacle, nuisance
Something or someone that gets in the way or causes inconvenience.
この荷物(にもつ)が邪魔(じゃま)です。
This luggage is in the way.
仕事(しごと)の邪魔(じゃま)をしないでください。
Please don't interrupt my work.
通路(つうろ)に物(もの)を置(お)くと邪魔(じゃま)になるので、片(かた)づけてください。
Leaving things in the hallway gets in the way, so please tidy up.
2. intrusion, disturbance
Used in the set phrase お邪魔します when entering someone's home.
お邪魔(じゃま)します。
Excuse me for intruding.
Said when entering someone's home
お邪魔(じゃま)しました。楽(たの)しかったです。
Thank you for having me. It was fun.
Said when leaving someone's home
友達(ともだち)の家(いえ)にお邪魔(じゃま)して、一緒(いっしょ)にご飯(はん)を食(た)べた。
I visited a friend's house and we ate together.

Common expressions

  • お邪魔(じゃま)します: said when entering someone's home or office ("I'm going to intrude")
  • お邪魔(じゃま)しました: said when leaving ("Thank you for having me")
  • 邪魔(じゃま)をする: to disturb, to get in the way
  • 邪魔(じゃま)になる: to be in the way
  • 邪魔(じゃま)な物(もの): something in the way

Watch out

Calling a person 邪魔(じゃま) (邪魔(じゃま)だ, "you're in the way") is blunt and can sound rude; to ask someone politely to move, say すみません、通(とお)してください. The polite visiting phrases are the opposite case: the speaker calls themself the nuisance, as a show of modesty.

Related Words

Related: 妨害(ぼうがい) (obstruction)
Related: 横槍(よこやり) (interference)
Compare: 目障(めざわ)り (eyesore)
Compare: 足手(あしで)まとい (burden)
general
Added 2026.1.9 21:52 · Revised 2026.10.4 9:21
01500/01610_jama