首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)る

くびをよこにふる
expression
to shake one's head (in refusal or disagreement)
1. to shake one's head; to say no; to refuse
The physical gesture of shaking one's head side to side to express disagreement, refusal, or denial. Also used figuratively for declining or rejecting something.
彼女(かのじょ)は首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)った。
She shook her head.
頼(たの)んだが、首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)られた。
I asked, but was met with a shake of the head.
何度(なんど)説得(せっとく)しても、彼(かれ)は首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)るばかりだった。
No matter how many times I tried to persuade him, he just kept shaking his head.

Literally 'to swing one's neck sideways.' In Japanese, 首(くび) (neck) is used where English uses 'head' for the shaking gesture.

CONTRAST:

  • 首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)る — to shake one's head (no, refusal)
  • 首(くび)を縦(たて)に振(ふ)る — to nod (yes, agreement)

The pair 横(よこ) (horizontal) vs. 縦(たて) (vertical) makes the distinction explicit.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)る — plain statement
  • 首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)られる — passive: to be refused (someone shook their head at me)
  • 首(くび)を横(よこ)に振(ふ)るばかり — to do nothing but shake one's head

RELATED TERMS:

  • 首(くび)を縦(たて)に振(ふ)る — to nod; to agree
  • うなずく — to nod (a single word for the same gesture)
  • 首(くび)をかしげる — to tilt one's head (in doubt or puzzlement)
general
Added 2026.3.27 0:21
19500/19743_kubiwoyokonifuru