Be Amazed：”akireru” Japanese Phrase #304

2022年6月30日2026年4月28日

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Yuka

あきれる is a very expressive verb that captures that “I can’t believe this” feeling. Let’s learn when and how to use it!

Japanese	Reading	Meaning
あきれる	akireru	to be stunned / to be dumbfounded / to be fed up
あきれた	akireta	I’m speechless / What a thing to do (past/exclamation)
あきれるほど	akireru hodo	to an unbelievable degree / incredibly

TOC

What Does あきれる Mean?

あきれる (呆れる) describes the feeling of being stunned, dumbfounded, or completely fed up — usually because someone did something unbelievably silly, rude, or inconsiderate. It can range from amused disbelief to genuine exasperation:

彼のうそにあきれた。 — I was stunned by his lie.
また遅刻！もうあきれた。 — Late again! I’m completely fed up.
あきれてものが言えない。 — I’m so stunned I can’t speak.

Common Expressions with あきれる

あきれた！ — Used as an exclamation: “I can’t believe it!” / “Unbelievable!”

あきれた！また同じミスをしたの？ — Unbelievable! You made the same mistake again?
もうあきれてしまった。 — I’ve completely given up / I’m at a loss.

あきれるほど — “to an unbelievable degree”:

あきれるほど食べた。 — He ate an unbelievable amount.
あきれるほど図々しい。 — Unbelievably shameless / bold.

Rei

Is あきれる always negative?

Yuka

Mostly yes — it implies someone did something beyond belief. But sometimes it’s used affectionately, like “I can’t believe you — you’re hopeless (but I love you).”

Rei

How is it different from びっくりする?

Yuka

びっくりする is neutral surprise — could be good or bad. あきれる is specifically negative surprise, often with frustration or disbelief at someone’s behavior.

Related Expressions

Word	Meaning	Nuance
あきれる	Stunned / fed up	Disbelief at behavior
びっくりする	Surprised	Neutral — any surprise
がっかりする	Disappointed	Expectations not met
あり得ない	Unbelievable / no way	Disbelief at a situation

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Confusing あきれる (stunned/fed up) with あきらめる (to give up). They sound similar but mean very different things! あきれる = dumbfounded; あきらめる = to give up or accept.

Quick Quiz

Q1: Your friend forgot your birthday for the third year in a row. How do you react?

Answer: もうあきれた！毎年忘れるの？ — I can’t believe it! You forget every year?

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Q2: Which word fits? “I was stunned by how rude he was.”

Answer: 彼の失礼な態度にあきれた。

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