Takashi's Japanese Dictionary

A blog for learning Japanese that introduces Japanese slang words and Idioms!

  • Home
  • Dictionary Tools ▾
    • Furigana and Definition Lookup
    • Japanese Synonym Finder
    • Katakana Word Converter
  • Blog Posts ▾
    • Latest Posts
    • Phrases by Topic
    • Slang
    • Idiom
    • Column
    • Grammar
    • 英語に関する記事 (in Japanese)
  • Lesson Slides ▾
    • For Complete Beginners
    • For Intermediate/Advanced Learners
  • Vocab List
  • What’s New
  • Social Media
  • About
You are here: Home / Kansai Dialect / Meaning of あかん (akan), the Essential Kansai-Dialect Word

Meaning of あかん (akan), the Essential Kansai-Dialect Word

June 10, 2020

Table of Contents

  • Definition of あかん
  • 1. Verb (nai form) +な+あかん
    • Example:
  • 2. Verb (ta-form)+(ら)+ あかん
    • Example:
  • Synonyms
  • See also
    • 9 Essential Words in Kansai-ben with Detailed Usage Examples
    • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
    • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning, Usage and Examples

Definition of あかん

あかん (akan) is one of the most essential words in the Kansai dialect. Basically,  it means “bad” or “you shouldn’t/can’t …”, and it is a synonym of “駄目 (だめ)” in the standard Japanese. For instance, if you say to your parent that you want to skip school for no reason, he/she would answer “あかん”, meaning “No, you can’t”. Similarly, when you find something bad or unacceptable, you can say “これ/それはあかん“, or more casually, “こら/そらあかん“, meaning “This/That is so bad/unacceptable“.

In a more complex sentence, あかん is often used in the following two patterns:

1. Verb (nai form) +な+あかん

This is a variant of the more standard expression “Verb (nai form)+ないといけない/ないと駄目だ”, meaning “have to do …” or “should do …”. It is often used when you talk about something you have to do, or when you advise someone to do or not to do something.

Example:

1-1.

明日 (あした)までに宿題 (しゅくだい)をやらなあかんわ
≒ 明日までに宿題をやらないといけない
I have to do my homework by tomorrow.

1-2

野菜 (やさい)も食(た)べなあかんよ
≒ 野菜も食べないと駄目だよ

You should also eat vegetables.

1.3.

お前(まえ)はもっと勉強(べんきょう)せなあかん
≒お前はもっと勉強しないといけない
You have to study more

*Nai-form of “(勉強)する” is “し”, but “せ” is used exceptionally in the Kansai expression.

2. Verb (ta-form)+(ら)+ あかん

This is a variant of the more standard expression “Verb (ta-form)+ら+いけない/だめ”, meaning “It’s bad if you do …” or “you shouldn’t do …”. It’s usually used when you give a warning to someone. In a casual conversation, “ら” before “あかん” is omitted sometimes.

Example:

2-1.

授業中(じゅぎょうちゅう)に寝(ね)たらあかん/寝たあかん
≒授業中に寝たら駄目
You shouldn’t sleep during class.

2-2.

今(いま)ビーチに行(い)ったらあかん/行ったあかん
≒今ビーチに行ったらいけない
You shouldn’t go to the beach now.

Synonyms

Synonyms: 駄目 (だめ),

Synonyms in English: you can’t, bad

See also

9 Essential Words in Kansai-ben with Detailed Usage Examples

9 Essential Words in Kansai-ben with Detailed Usage Examples

Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)

Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)

なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning, Usage and Examples

なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning, Usage and Examples

Filed Under: Kansai Dialect

Related Posts

  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)

    Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)

  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases

    9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases

  • 遠慮の塊 (Enryo no katamari): “Hesitation Lump” in Kansai-ben Slang

  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage

    なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage

Featured Posts:

  • Japanese Conversation Practice to Master 気-related Idioms
  • “Gakkī Loss”: Meaning of ロス (“Loss”) in Japanese
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very”: Synonyms of とても (totemo)
  • 40 Ways of Saying "Many" in Japanese (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, and More...)
  • 8 Funny and Cute Japanese Cat Idioms
  • Success Story of Ichiro Suzuki: What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans

Popular Posts:

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms
  • Meaning of Kenja Time (賢者タイム, kenjataimu) in Japanese Slang
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Meaning of ぼっち (Bocchi) and クリぼっち (Kuri Bocchi) in Japanese Slang
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • あけおめ (Akeome): Casual Japanese New Year’s Greeting
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • 凸, 凹, 〆, 卍: Meaning of Weird and Funny Japanese Kanji
  • 40 Japanese Words Meaning “Many/Much” (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • 40 Funny Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound like Oyaji (Old Men)
  • 50 Japanese Words and Idioms about Love & Relationship
  • とにかく (Tonikaku) Means More Than “Anyway”
  • List of Similar and Confusing Kanji With Different Meanings
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning ‘Go-Home Club’
  • Japanese and English Words that Rhyme in Both Languages
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of “Paper Driver” in Japlish (Japanese English)
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • 闇鍋 (yaminabe): Meaning “Dark Hot Pot” with Random Ingredients
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very” and Their Nuances
  • Meaning of 相合傘 (ai ai gasa): Lovely Dream of Japanese Kids
  • List of Japanese Abbreviated Words and Phrases
  • Meaning of “Three-Day Monk” (三日坊主, mikka bouzu) in Japanese
  • ヤンキー (yankee) Means “(Old-Fashioned) Loutish Youths” in Japanese

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ブログランキング・にほんブログ村へPVアクセスランキング にほんブログ村

Search on Takashionary
(e.g. 'food', 'cat', 'idiom')

Trending Posts

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 卍 (manji) and マジ卍 (Maji manji) in Japanese
  • Meaning of ぼっち (Bocchi) and クリぼっち (Kuri Bocchi) in Japanese Slang
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • Funny Japanese Gaming Slang Terms
  • 5 Meanings of 気 (ki) and 30 気-related Japanese Phrases
  • List of Similar and Confusing Kanji With Different Meanings
  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • 50 Japanese Words and Idioms about Love & Relationship
  • Real and Unknown Meanings of “Hentai” in Japanese
  • 40 Japanese Words Meaning “Many/Much” (Ooi, Ippai, Takusan, …)
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 5 Meanings of ペラペラ (pera pera) in Japanese
  • 凸, 凹, 〆, 卍: Meaning of Weird and Funny Japanese Kanji
  • 30+ Japanese Words for “Very” and Their Nuances
  • Japanese Slang 帰宅部 (kitaku bu) Meaning ‘Go-Home Club’
  • Meaning of Kenja Time (賢者タイム, kenjataimu) in Japanese Slang
  • List of Confusing “Japlish/Janglish” (Japanese English)
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • List of Japanese Abbreviated Words and Phrases
  • What’s 合コン (gōkon) and 街コン (machikon) in Japanese
  • なんでやねん (nandeyanen): Meaning and Usage
  • 40 Funny Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound like Oyaji (Old Men)
  • List of 50+ Japanese Words to Describe Personality
  • あけおめ (Akeome): Casual Japanese New Year’s Greeting
  • 20 Japanese Twitter Slang Words in 2010s/2020s
  • ヤンキー (yankee) Means “(Old-Fashioned) Loutish Youths” in Japanese
  • Meaning of 相合傘 (ai ai gasa): Lovely Dream of Japanese Kids

Popular Posts

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • 40 Funny Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound like Oyaji (Old Men)
  • Meaning of Kaedama, Menkata and Barikata of Ramen Noodles
  • Meaning of Kenja Time (賢者タイム, kenjataimu) in Japanese Slang
  • 30+ Essential Japanese Words to Describe Food
  • 4 Meanings of ノリ (Nori) in Japanese Slang
  • Meaning and Difference of ガチ (gachi) and マジ (maji) in Japanese
  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Song You Sing Best”

Words by Theme

  • 9 Essential Kansai Dialect (Kansai-ben) Words and Phrases
  • Boku, Ore, Watashi, Atashi: 15 Japanese Person Pronouns
  • 40 Funny Old Japanese Slang Words to Sound like Oyaji (Old Men)

Idiom

  • 十八番 (ohako) Meaning “The Song You Sing Best”
  • How The Japanese Word 神 (Kami, ‘God’) Is Used Metaphorically
  • Japanese Idiom “Put on a Cat”, 猫をかぶる (neko wo kaburu)

Japlish

  • 深夜テンション (shinya tension) Meaning “Midnight High” in Japanese Slang
  • Japanese Wasei-Eigo List (“Japlish”) and Their Meanings
  • Meaning of “Paper Driver” in Japlish (Japanese English)

Slang

  • 女たらし (onna tarashi) Meaning ‘Lady’s Man’ in Japanese
  • Toka, Kana, Kamo: Japanese Vague Expressions
  • Japanese “活 Words”: 婚活 (Konkatsu), 就活/終活 (Shūkatsu)

Column

  • “The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Could Mean “I love You” in Japanese
  • イチロー (Ichiro): What He Means to Japanese Baseball Fans
  • Meaning of 遠慮 (enryo) and 空気を読む (kuuki wo yomu)

Grammar

  • Essential Grammar in Kansai Dialect (関西弁, Kansai ben)
  • Slang Meaning of 全然 (Zenzen) Without ない (Nai)
  • Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Meaning, Grammar and Difference

日本語記事

  • 韻を踏むお茶目な英語表現、単語、フレーズ、イディオム30+
  • 頭に情景が浮かぶ面白い英語フレーズ、イディオム30+
  • many, much, a lot ofの類語、 言い換え英語表現50+の使い分け
  • 直訳すると変な英語表現、イディオム12
  • 「開き直る」の2つの意味と英訳

Categories

Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved