放題
🃏 Flashcard
放題
houdai
Tap to reveal usage
doing as one pleases; uncontrolled
N1
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N1
Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms
Reading
houdai
Post ID
51225
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
doing as one pleases; uncontrolled
📖 How to use it
Describes doing something without restraint or limit, often with a nuance of indulgence or excess.
Attaches to
Attaches to the ます-stem of a verb (e.g., 食べ放題) or directly to certain nouns (e.g., 言い放題). For verbs, remove ます from the polite form to get the stem.
放題 is a suffix that turns an action into an uncontrolled, unrestricted activity. It often appears in commercial contexts like all-you-can-eat or all-you-can-drink, but extends to negative behaviors like speaking rudely or acting selfishly. When used with verbs, it conveys a sense of doing something as much as one wants, often to excess. With nouns, it emphasizes the manner of the action, like 言い放題 meaning speaking without filter. In everyday speech, it can sound critical when describing others' behavior, but in advertising it is neutral and appealing.
このレストランは食べ放題だから、お腹いっぱい食べられるよ。
Kono resutoran wa tabehoudai dakara, onaka ippai taberareru yo.
This restaurant is all-you-can-eat, so you can eat until you're full.
彼は何でも言い放題で、周りの人が困っている。
Kare wa nan demo iihoudai de, mawari no hito ga komatte iru.
He says whatever he wants without restraint, and the people around him are troubled.
この温泉は入り放題で、一日中楽しめます。
Kono onsen wa hairihoudai de, ichinichijuu tanoshimemasu.
This hot spring offers unlimited entry, so you can enjoy it all day.
Not 放題 vs. たい放題
放題 attaches to the ます-stem of a verb to mean 'unlimited' in a neutral sense. たい放題 attaches to the ます-stem and carries a stronger negative connotation, meaning 'doing as one pleases with bad consequences' (e.g., やりたい放題). Use 放題 for neutral or positive contexts, たい放題 for criticism.
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Neutral to slightly informal; common in spoken Japanese and advertising, but can also appear in writing. Not rude, but can sound critical when describing someone's bad behavior.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
放題
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 放題 three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 放題. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns
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ほうがましだ
better than; would rather ~
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いかんだ / いかんでは/ いかんによっては
in accordance with; depending on ~
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 放題 mean?
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Doing as one pleases; uncontrolled
What JLPT level is 放題?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 放題 in a sentence?
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Attach 放題 (houdai) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is 放題 formal or casual Japanese?
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放題 is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember 放題 long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.