Ooh, yeah; uh, no?

有耶無耶
u.ya.mu.ya

Literally: exist – [interrogative particle] – not – [interrogative particle]

Alternately: Vague; unclear; noncommittal; unsettled; indefinite; obscure. It’s not clear whether something is, or is not there, or in a certain state, etc.

Notes曖昧模糊 and 五里霧中 are both considered synonyms; 一目瞭然 is an antonym.

This phrase is attributed to our friend, the Buddhist-monk biography anthology The Transmission of the Lamp (Japanese 『景徳傳燈録』 = Keitoku dentouroku). The compound may also be given native-Japanese reading ari ya nashi ya, although this is rare.

I too cover my face when attacked by floating neon text

A poppy song by SixTONES from their 2021 album, 1st.

About Confanity

I love the written word more than anything else I've had the chance to work with. I'm back in the States from Japan for grad school, but still studying Japanese with the hope of becoming a translator -- or writer, or even teacher -- as long as it's something language-related.
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1 Response to Ooh, yeah; uh, no?

  1. Pingback: Million-yard stare | landofnudotcom

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