冗談(じょうだん)

じょうだん
noun
joke, jest
1. joke, jest, kidding
Something said or done for amusement; not meant to be taken seriously.
冗談(じょうだん)だよ！
I'm just kidding!
冗談(じょうだん)を言(い)って皆(みんな)を笑(わら)わせた。
I told a joke and made everyone laugh.
冗談(じょうだん)じゃないよ、本当(ほんとう)だって。
I'm not kidding, it's true.
彼(かれ)は冗談(じょうだん)が上手(じょうず)で、いつも場(ば)を和(なご)ませてくれる。
He's good at telling jokes and always lightens the mood.
冗談(じょうだん)のつもりで言(い)ったのに、相手(あいて)を傷(きず)つけてしまって反省(はんせい)した。
I meant it as a joke, but I ended up hurting the other person's feelings and regretted it.

冗談(じょうだん) refers to jokes or kidding around.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 冗談(じょうだん)を言(い)う (to tell a joke, to joke)
  • 冗談(じょうだん)じゃない (I'm not joking; this is no joke)
  • 冗談(じょうだん)にする (to make a joke of something)
  • 冗談(じょうだん)が通(つう)じない (unable to take a joke)
  • 冗談(じょうだん)はよせ (stop joking; quit it)
  • 冗談(じょうだん)半分(はんぶん)に (half-jokingly)

REGISTER:
冗談(じょうだん) is neutral and can be used in most situations. For more casual speech, ジョーク (from English "joke") is also common.

COMMON MISTAKE:
"冗談(じょうだん)を作(つく)る" is unnatural. Use "冗談(じょうだん)を言(い)う" (to tell a joke) instead.

core
Added 2026.1.12 15:34 · Revised 2026.2.28 14:34
03000/03347_joudan