否(いな)

いな
noun
no; whether or not; nay, rather
formalwrittenliterary
1. whether or not, yes or no
Used to present an alternative or question about whether something is so or not. Often appears in compound expressions.
賛否(さんぴ)が分(わ)かれた。
Opinions were divided between for and against.
参加(さんか)するか否(いな)かは本人(ほんにん)の自由(じゆう)だ。
Whether or not to participate is up to the individual.
この提案(ていあん)を受(う)け入(い)れるか否(いな)かは、今後(こんご)の会議(かいぎ)で決定(けってい)される。
Whether or not to accept this proposal will be decided at a future meeting.
2. nay, rather, or better yet
Used to correct or upgrade a previous statement, similar to 'nay' or 'or rather' in English. Literary.
数十人(すうじゅうにん)、否(いな)、数百人(すうひゃくにん)が集(あつ)まった。
Dozens — nay, hundreds — gathered.
難(むずか)しい、否(いな)、ほぼ不可能(ふかのう)だと言(い)えるだろう。
It could be called difficult — or rather, nearly impossible.
それは優(すぐ)れた作品(さくひん)だった。否(いな)、傑作(けっさく)と呼(よ)ぶべきものだった。
It was an excellent work. Nay, it was what should be called a masterpiece.

Usage

Sense 1 commonly appears in the pattern ～か否(いな)か (whether or not ~), which is formal and used in written Japanese. In compounds like 賛否(さんぴ) (pros and cons) and 安否(あんぴ) (safety/well-being), 否(ひ) is read with its on'yomi. Sense 2 is literary and rhetorical, used to correct or strengthen a previous statement.

Common patterns

  • ～か否(いな)か: whether or not ~
  • 否(いな)、～: nay, rather ~

Compounds

Similar words

否(いな) is literary. The casual equivalent for "no" is いいえ or いや. The related entry 否(いや) (no, reluctance) has a different nuance, expressing dislike or refusal.

Related Words

Related: 否定(ひてい) (denial, negation)
general
Added 2026.2.20 13:35 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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