Can もう be used to express frustration?


Can もう be used in instances where a person may be frustrated? I heard the term
uttered by itself only, but it seemed like the person may have been a little
upset. I'm not sure of a specific meaning. Thank you.




Yes, it can. It is in fact a fairly common way of expressing anger,
frustration, disappointment, etc. Female speakers would probably use it
slightly more often than male speakers.

You will hear just 「もう！」、「もお！」、「もーお！」, etc. all by themselves, or with a word
or phrase attached to one of those as in
「もういや！」、「もういい！」、「もう知{し}らない！」、「もうイチローさんったら！」, etc.

Note: For those who thought 「もういい！」 might have a positive meaning because of
the word 「いい」, it does not. It means "Enough is enough!"

Read [this Q&A](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/73183/no-your-
taste-is-not-good/73186#73186) for the negative meaning of 「いい」.




Yes, it can. It is in fact a fairly common way of expressing anger,
frustration, disappointment, etc. Female speakers would probably use it
slightly more often than male speakers.

You will hear just 「もう！」、「もお！」、「もーお！」, etc. all by themselves, or with a word
or phrase attached to one of those as in
「もういや！」、「もういい！」、「もう知{し}らない！」、「もうイチローさんったら！」, etc.

Note: For those who thought 「もういい！」 might have a positive meaning because of
the word 「いい」, it does not. It means "Enough is enough!"

Read [this Q&A](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/73183/no-your-
taste-is-not-good/73186#73186) for the negative meaning of 「いい」.

