The Meaning of okamainaku [お構いなく] In Japanese

お構いなく
おかまいなく
Romaji: okamainaku N5

What does お構いなく mean?

Translation and Meaning

don’t mind me, please don’t trouble yourself

Definition

It means please don’t mind me or please don’t trouble yourself on my account, a polite reassurance that the other person should not go to extra effort for the speaker.

Type

expression (慣用句)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primary sense: don’t mind me; don’t go to trouble.
  • Politeness nuance: minimizes imposition in social interactions.
  • Practical use: often used to reassure hosts or to downplay one’s own needs in social exchanges.

Etymology

From 構う kamau meaning to mind or care, with the honorific prefix お- added to elevate the subject, and the negative なく forming the phrase that negates the action of minding or caring.

Origin

The expression belongs to the keigo (polite language) tradition in Japanese; the honorific prefix お- and the verb 構う appear in classical and Edo-period language, solidifying this form as a standard polite idiom used to avoid imposing on others.

Composition

  • お: honorific prefix
  • 構い: 連用形 of 構う, meaning to mind or care
  • なく: negation form

Usage

Used in polite conversation to tell someone not to trouble themselves with you, often when declining offers of help or hospitality, suitable for formal and semi-formal contexts; in casual speech it can sound overly formal or distant depending on tone.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: remember the polite prefix お plus 構い (kamai) sounding like ‘calm mind’ and the negation なく to yield the meaning ‘please don’t mind me’—a quick image of a courteous host signaling no trouble is needed.

Variations

  • ご遠慮なく (go-enryo-naku) — please feel free to, romaji go-enryo-naku
  • 遠慮なく (enryo-naku) — without hesitation, romaji enryo-naku
  • お気遣いなく (okizukai-naku) — please don’t trouble yourself, romaji okizukai-naku

Example Phrases

  • 今日は忙しいので、どうぞお構いなく。
    kyou wa isogashii node, douzo okamainaku.
    I’m busy today, so please don’t trouble yourself.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (kyou wa) – today
    • 忙しい (isogashii) – busy
    • ので (node) – because / so
    • どうぞ (douzo) – please
    • お構いなく (okamainaku) – don’t trouble yourself
    「お構いなく」 means ‘please don’t trouble yourself’ and is used to decline offers of help or hospitality; in this sentence it follows どうぞ to politely tell the other person not to go to trouble.
お構いなく