N2 Strong Negative

~どころではない: meaning, usage and examples

~どころではない means: not in a situation to... / far from...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 仕事しごとが忙いそがしくて、休暇きゅうかどころではない。

   I'm so busy with work that a vacation is out of the question.

2. 今いまは遊あそんでいるどころではない。

   Now is no time to be playing around.

3. 引ひっ越こしの準備じゅんびに追おわれて、花見はなみどころではなかった。

   I was so busy getting ready to move that cherry blossom viewing was out of the question.

4. 隣となりの工事こうじがうるさくて、昼寝ひるねどころじゃない。

   The construction next door is so noisy that a nap is out of the question.

When to use it

Means "this is no situation for X" or "X is out of the question." Circumstances make an activity impossible, physically or mentally. 熱ねつがあって、勉強べんきょうどころではない means "I have a fever, so studying is out of the question." The reason usually comes first, with て or ので.

Nuance

Emotional and often frustrated. どころじゃない is casual speech. It means more than "no time": there is no room in one's head or life for X right now. Not a polite refusal of an invitation in formal settings.

Compare

どころか means "far from X, actually the opposite": 休やすむどころか、仕事しごとが増ふえた. 場合ばあいではない means "now is not the time to" and often scolds oneself or others: 泣ないている場合ばあいではない. どころではない says circumstances rule X out.

Tip: Build it as reason first, then X + どころではない: 忙いそがしくて / 熱ねつがあって + 旅行りょこうどころではない.