The Meaning of moushiwake nai [申し訳ない] In Japanese

申し訳ない
もうしわけない
Romaji: moushiwake nai N4

What does 申し訳ない mean?

Translation and Meaning

I have no excuse, I am sorry.

Definition

It means a sincere apology; used when you take responsibility and want to convey deep remorse, suitable in formal or serious contexts.

Type

expression (表現)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primary meaning: a strong apology expressing remorse and responsibility
  • Nuance: implies there is no acceptable excuse or justification
  • Usage: appropriate in formal settings, business communication, and sincere personal apologies; in casual speech, people may use simpler forms

Etymology

申 to say; 訳 reason or explanation; ない negation; together they form a phrase that literally signals no ground to justify one’s actions, hence an apology.

Composition

  • 申: to say; indicates speech or statement
  • 訳: reason, explanation; the core concept of justification
  • ない: negation; marks absence of an excuse or justification

Usage

Used to apologize for causing trouble or taking responsibility; formal and polite contexts; frequently used in workplaces and service industries; may be followed by a request for forgiveness or leniency, or used alone as a strong regretful statement.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic tip: visualize a deep bow with a speech bubble stating there is no valid excuse, connecting mou-shi-wake-nai to the idea of ‘I have no excuse’.

Variations

  • すみません (sumimasen) — common, less formal
  • ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) — softer, casual
  • 申し訳ございます (moushiwake gozaimasu) — highly formal
  • 申し訳ないです (moushiwake nai desu) — polite variant

Example Phrases

  • 会議に 遅れてしまい、 申し訳ないですが、 本日中に 対応します。
    Kaigi ni okurete shimai, moushiwake nai desu ga, honjitsu-chuu ni taio shimasu.
    I’m late to the meeting, and I’m sorry, but I’ll handle it today.
    Lista:
    • 会議に (kaigi ni) – to the meeting
    • 遅れてしまい、 (okurete shimai) – having been late
    • 申し訳ないですが、 (moushiwake nai desu ga) – I’m sorry, but
    • 本日中に (honjitsu-chuu ni) – by today
    • 対応します。 (taio shimasu) – will handle it
    The word 「申し訳ない」 expresses apology; here it precedes a clause and is followed by ですが to soften.
申し訳ない