This means "is not". It is like saying "janai" in regular Japanese. You use it to say something is not true or does not exist.
Noun + ちゃうPrimary
な-Adjective + ちゃう
This means "is not". It is like saying "janai" in regular Japanese. You use it to say something is not true or does not exist.
ごめん、わざとちゃうかった。許してな。
Sorry, it wasn't on purpose. Please forgive me.
部長は「このデータは最新版ちゃうぞ」と注意してくれた。
The department head warned me, saying 'This data isn't the latest version.'
この計画、まだ完璧ちゃうから、もうちょっと考えよう。
This plan isn't perfect yet, so let's think about it a little more.
When you say "~chau?" with a rising tone, it is like asking "Isn't it?" You are checking if something is true. People in Kansai often speak this way.
This is different from "~janai". "~Chau" is used in the Kansai area. It means "is not" there. You can add "n" to ask a question. This makes it sound like you are surprised. Or you are asking for more information.
Watch out: There are two things that sound like "chao." One means "is not." It comes after nouns. For example, "gakusei chao" means "is not a student." The other comes from verbs. It means you finish something completely. For example, "tabechao" means "eat it all up." You can tell the difference by what comes before "chao."
Track your mastery
Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.