1.
without flattery; honestly; in all sincerity
A phrase used before a compliment to emphasize that it is genuine and not just polite flattery.
お世辞抜きで、おいしいです。
Honestly, it's delicious — I'm not just saying that.
お世辞抜きで、素晴らしいプレゼンでした。
Without flattery, it was an excellent presentation.
お世辞抜きで言いますが、彼女の歌は本当に上手だと思います。
I'm being completely honest when I say her singing is really good.
USAGE:
お世辞抜きで is used to preface a genuine compliment, assuring the listener that the praise is sincere. Japanese social culture involves frequent compliments (お世辞), so this phrase explicitly sets them aside.
VARIATIONS:
- お世辞抜きに — slightly more formal variant
- お世辞じゃなく — casual variant (not flattery, but...)
COMMON PATTERNS:
- お世辞抜きで + praise/compliment
- お世辞抜きで言うと... (speaking without flattery...)