How to say "awkward" in Japanese

• 下手へたJLPT N5approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounCovers being poor or awkward at a skill or activity — unskillful rather than clumsy in body. Use it to say someone is not good at cooking, drawing, sports, and so on.
  彼かれはイギリス生うまれだが、英語えいごがとても下手へたである。↗

  He comes from England, but is very poor at English.
• ぎこちないCommon
  i-adjectiveDescribes movement, manner, or performance that is stiff and lacking smoothness — awkward and unnatural rather than simply unskillful. Fits stiff gestures, an unnatural smile, or a halting conversation.
  彼かれは動作どうさがぎこちない。↗

  He is awkward in his movements.
• 不器用ぶきようCommon
  na-adjective, nounCovers clumsy, awkward handling of things or unskillful work with the hands — a person who is awkward at manual tasks. Slightly more formal-sounding than ぎこちない.
• へたくそCommon
  na-adjective, nounA derogatory way to call someone lousy or terrible at something; it is an insult, not neutral description. Rarely the word you want for 'awkward' in the sense of stiff or socially uncomfortable — use it only when deliberately being insulting.
  ヘタクソな人ひとは英訳えいやくしないでください。英訳えいやく依頼者いらいしゃからのお願ねがいです。↗

  Please don't do translations if you're crap at it. This is a plea from the English translation clients.
• 煙たいけむたいJLPT N1approx.Common
  i-adjectiveCovers the social sense: feeling awkward, uncomfortable, or ill at ease around someone. Use it for situations where a person's presence makes you wary or unable to relax, not for clumsiness or lack of skill.
  あの人ひとは煙けむたい。↗

  I feel awkward in his presence.

For physical or skill-based clumsiness choose 下手, 「ぎこちない」, or 不器用; for insulting someone's ability use 「へたくそ」; for feeling socially ill at ease use 「煙たい」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 下手へたunskillful
• ぎこちないawkward
• 不器用ぶきようclumsy
• へたくそunskilled
• 気まずいきまずいunpleasant
• ぎくしゃくawkward (movements, speech, etc.)
• 間が悪いまがわるいawkward
• バツが悪いばつがわるいawkward
• バツの悪いバツのわるいawkward
• 下手っぴへたっぴunskilled
• ぶきっちょclumsy
• 気詰まりきづまりconstrained
• 照れくさいてれくさいembarrassing
• ぶさいくclumsy (work)
• 無様ぶざまunsightly
• たどたどしいfaltering
• 危なげあぶなげseeming dangerous
• やりにくいhard-to-do
• やりづらいhard-to-do
• 煙たいけむたいawkward
• 怪しいあやしいuntrustworthy
• 苦しいくるしいdistressing
• 不格好ぶかっこうawkward
• こそばゆいembarrassed
• 詰屈きっくつstiff
• へまbungling
• 困ったこまったinopportune
• 晴れがましいはれがましい(feeling) awkward
• まずいawkward
• 具合が悪いぐあいがわるいuncomfortable