身も蓋もない
mi mo futa mo nai
ja
en
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brutally blunt, leaving no room for nuance
/mi mo ɸɯta mo nai/
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So direct and unsoftened that tact, nuance, or room for further conversation disappears.
Examples
そんな身も蓋もないことを言われたら話が続かない。
If you say something that blunt, there is nothing more to discuss.
努力しても無駄だと言い切るのは身も蓋もない。
Saying flatly that effort is pointless is brutally blunt.
現実は厳しいと言うだけでは身も蓋もない。
Merely saying “reality is harsh” leaves no room for nuance.
理由は金だけだなんて、身も蓋もない答えだ。
“It is only about money” is an answer with no tact at all.
彼の説明は正確だが、少し身も蓋もない。
His explanation is accurate but a little too blunt.
Meanings
Examples
努力しても無駄だと言い切るのは身も蓋もない。
Saying flatly that effort is pointless is brutally blunt.
理由は金だけだなんて、身も蓋もない答えだ。
“It is only about money” is an answer with no tact at all.
そんな身も蓋もないことを言われたら話が続かない。
If you say something that blunt, there is nothing more to discuss.
現実は厳しいと言うだけでは身も蓋もない。
Merely saying “reality is harsh” leaves no room for nuance.
彼の説明は正確だが、少し身も蓋もない。
His explanation is accurate but a little too blunt.
Etymology
Literally “neither the body of a container nor its lid remains”; the image suggests nothing left to wrap or soften the point.
FAQ
So direct and unsoftened that tact, nuance, or room for further conversation disappears.
It is read みもふたもない, written mi mo futa mo nai.
When would you use 身も蓋もない?
Often comments on someone’s words or answer, not on physical bluntness; it can concede a point while criticizing the delivery.
How is 身も蓋もない different from 率直?
率直 can praise honesty; this idiom criticizes directness that strips away tact and conversational space.
How does 身も蓋もない change in a sentence?
This fixed expression keeps its core wording; the examples show how it fits into a sentence.
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