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    彼の言っていることがピンとこない (kare no itteiru koto ga pin to konai - I don't understand what he's saying)

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral

    How it works

    This phrase uses the construction "Aの言っていること (what A is saying)" as the subject, followed by the idiomatic expression "ピンとこない". "ピンとくる" (pin to kuru) means 'to click, to get it, to understand quickly', and its negative form "ピンとこない" (pin to konai) means 'not to get it, not to understand clearly or intuitively'. The particle "が" marks "彼の言っていること" as the subject.

    Sample sentences

    先生の説明が難しすぎて、全くピンとこなかった。

    The teacher's explanation was too difficult, so I didn't get it at all.

    彼の話はいつも論理が飛躍していて、何が言いたいのかピンとこないことが多い。

    His stories always jump around logically, so often I don't really get what he's trying to say.

    そのコンセプトは面白いと思うけど、具体的な使い方がまだピンとこないな。

    I think the concept is interesting, but I still don't quite grasp how to use it practically.

    Quick facts

    nuance:"ピンとこない" implies a lack of intuitive understanding or a feeling that something doesn't quite 'click' or make sense, rather than a complete inability to comprehend words. It suggests a gap in intuitive grasp or logical connection.
    origin:The 'ピン' sound is an onomatopoeia or mimesis representing something suddenly clicking or hitting a target, often used metaphorically for understanding.
    politeness:While neutral, saying this directly can be perceived as slightly critical of the speaker's explanation or one's own comprehension, so it's often softened with other expressions.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    先生の説明が難しすぎて、全くピンとこなかった。

    The teacher's explanation was too difficult, so I didn't get it at all.

    彼の話はいつも論理が飛躍していて、何が言いたいのかピンとこないことが多い。

    His stories always jump around logically, so often I don't really get what he's trying to say.

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