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Japanese · Frustration

勘弁して

kanben shite

kahn-BEN shtay · /kambeɴ ɕite/

Give me a break / spare me / oh, come on

1/5 Grandma-safe

mild, playful; fine on daytime TV

Literally

"grant me pardon"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

"Have mercy on me" — the exhausted plea when life piles on: more overtime, another delay, one more demand. Not aimed at attacking anyone; it's a groan of "I can't take more." Politer than it sounds, which is why it's office-safe. "Kanben shite kure yo" is the fuller male grumble.

Heard in the wild

また残業?勘弁してよ。

More overtime? Give me a break.

Where it lands

Nationwide

Quick answers

What does "勘弁して" mean?
In Japanese, "勘弁して" means "Give me a break / spare me / oh, come on". Literally it's "grant me pardon". "Have mercy on me" — the exhausted plea when life piles on: more overtime, another delay, one more demand. Not aimed at attacking anyone; it's a groan of "I can't take more." Politer than it sounds, which is why it's office-safe. "Kanben shite kure yo" is the fuller male grumble.
Is "勘弁して" offensive?
It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
How do you pronounce "勘弁して"?
Say it "kahn-BEN shtay" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: kambeɴ ɕite.

Related in Japanese

うるさい urusai oo-roo-SIGH Shut up / you're too loud / quit nagging うざい uzai oo-ZYE Annoying / a pain in the ass 何だよ nanda yo NAHN-dah yo What the hell / what's your problem 面倒くさい mendōkusai men-DOH-koo-sigh What a pain / can't be bothered / such a hassle 畜生 chikushō chee-koo-SHOH Dammit! / God damn it! たっけえ takkee (takai) tahk-KEH Damn, that's expensive! / highway robbery

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Tough luck".

how to say "Tough luck" →

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