無理
murinounadjective★Intermediate
informal
Impossible, unreasonable, or beyond one's ability
それは無理だ
That's impossible
無理をしないでください
Don't push yourself too hard
💡
Often used to express that something is beyond one's capacity or unreasonable to ask
informal
Forced or artificial (when referring to things)
無理な笑顔
A forced smile
Collocations
無理をするto push oneself too hard無理強いto force someone
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
無理矢理phrase
by force
💡Pro Tip
Common Usage
In casual conversation, '無理' is often used to politely decline requests or express that something is too difficult.
⚡Gold Rule
Politeness
When declining a request, saying '無理です' is more polite than simply saying 'no'.
📖Word Origin
Combination of '無' (nothing) and '理' (reason), literally meaning 'no reason' or 'unreasonable'
📝Usage Notes
Can be used as a noun or adjective depending on context. Often followed by particles like 'だ' or 'な' when used as an adjective.
Word Breakdown
無
none, not
prefix理
reason, logic
root✎ Noted on May 2, 2026JA → EN