How to say "fail" in Japanese

• しくじるJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbCovers failing at a task or blundering — the 'mess up, screw up' sense of fail. Typical for botching a job, an interview, or a plan you were responsible for.
  今回こんかいはしくじれないぞ。↗

  You cannot fail this time.
• 欠かすかかすCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbThis covers the 'fail to do' sense: omitting or not doing something, rather than doing it badly. For failure meaning an attempt that goes wrong, it is not the word you want.
• 見捨てるみすてるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbHere 'fail' means failing a person in the sense of abandoning or forsaking them. For a plan, exam, or attempt failing, this is not the word; it is really about deserting someone.
  彼かれは友人ゆうじんから見捨みすてられてしまった。↗

  He was deserted by his friends.
• ミスるCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbA colloquial verb for making a mistake or messing up; its 'fail' is the blunder or slip-up kind. Typical in casual talk about errors at work or in a game.
• つまずくJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbCovers failing in the sense of suffering a setback — stumbling partway through a project, plan, or career rather than failing outright. It is usually written in kana alone.

Use 「しくじる」 or 「ミスる」 for messing something up, 「欠かす」 for failing to do something, 「つまずく」 for suffering a setback, and 「見捨てる」 for failing someone in the sense of abandoning them.

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

• しくじるto fail
• 欠かすかかすto miss (doing)
• 見捨てるみすてるto abandon
• ミスるto make a mistake
• あぶれるto fail (in getting a job)
• ドジるto fail
• 遣り損なうやりそこなうto fail
• しくるto fail
• ポシャるto fall through (of a plan, project, etc.)
• しそこなうto blunder
• 仕損じるしそんじるto blunder
• 破綻をきたすはたんをきたすto be ruined
• 仕損ずるしそんずるto blunder
• 遣り損ずるやりそんずるto botch
• 遣り損じるやりそんじるto botch
• し損ねるしそこねるto blunder
• 駄目になるだめになるto spoil
• 落とすおとすto lose (a match)
• つまずくto fail
• 潰れるつぶれるto go bankrupt
• 落っこちるおっこちるto fail (an exam)
• けつまずくto fail
• 落っこるおっこるto fail (an exam)
• 落ちるおちるto fail (an exam)
• すべるto fail (an examination)
• 倒れるたおれるto go bankrupt (of a company, bank, etc.)