जी नहीं (jii nahiin)
interjection
A polite, softened way of saying 'no' -- जी (jii) is a respect particle added before नहीं (nahiin, 'no') to make the refusal or negation gentler and more courteous.
Sense
1
:
polite no
interjection
Synonyms: नहीं जी (nahiin jii, word order variant, less common), नहीं साहब (nahiin saahab, more formal/deferential)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear this constantly from shopkeepers, auto drivers, students addressing teachers, and juniors addressing seniors -- it is the polite refusal of daily Delhi-NCR life, like saying 'no, sir' or 'no, ma'am' without needing to specify gender. It pairs naturally with its opposite जी हाँ (jii haan, 'yes, sir/ma'am'), and learning both together is the efficient way to absorb this politeness register.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often think जी (jii) here means 'yes' because जी हाँ (jii haan) exists as its counterpart -- but जी (jii) itself is just a respect marker, not a yes/no word; the actual answer comes from हाँ (haan) or नहीं (nahiin). 2) Using जी नहीं (jii nahiin) with close friends or peers can sound oddly formal or even sarcastic -- it belongs with elders, strangers, teachers, or service contexts.
Sample Sentences:
जी नहीं, मुझे चाय नहीं चाहिए।
No, sir/ma'am, I do not want tea.
(jii nahiin, mujhe chaay nahiin chaahie।)
जी नहीं, यह किताब मेरी नहीं है।
No, sir/ma'am, this book is not mine.
(jii nahiin, yah kitaab merii nahiin hai।)
जी नहीं, मैंने ऐसा कुछ नहीं कहा था।
No, sir/ma'am, I did not say any such thing.
(jii nahiin, mainne aisaa kuchh nahiin kahaa thaa।)
जी नहीं, कल मैं नहीं आ सकूँगा।
No, sir, I will not be able to come tomorrow.
(jii nahiin, kal main nahiin aa sakoongaa।)
क्या आपने खाना खा लिया? जी नहीं, अभी नहीं।
Have you eaten? No, ma'am, not yet.
(kyaa aapne khaanaa khaa liyaa? jii nahiin, abhii nahiin।)
जी नहीं साहब, यह रास्ता वहाँ नहीं जाता।
No, sir, this road does not go there.
(jii nahiin saahab, yah raastaa vahaan nahiin jaataa।)
अगर आप कहें तो मैं जी नहीं कह दूँ?
If you say so, should I just say a polite no?
(agar aap kahen to main jii nahiin kah doon?)
मैडम ने पूछा कि क्या फीस जमा हो गई, तो लड़के ने कहा, जी नहीं।
The teacher asked if the fee had been deposited, and the boy said, no, ma'am.
(maidam ne poochhaa ki kyaa phiis jamaa ho gaii, to ladke ne kahaa, jii nahiin।)
जी नहीं, कृपया दोबारा मत पूछिए।
No, sir/ma'am, please do not ask again.
(jii nahiin, kripyaa dobaaraa mat poochhie।)
जी नहीं, सर, मुझे कोई शिकायत नहीं है।
No, sir, I have no complaint.
(jii nahiin, sar, mujhe koii shikaayat nahiin hai।)
अगर वह जी नहीं कहता तो झगड़ा हो जाता।
If he had not said a polite no, there would have been a quarrel.
(agar vah jii nahiin kahtaa to jhagdaa ho jaataa।)