How to say "feeble" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- か弱いかよわいi-adjectiveCovers the physical sense of feeble and frail, typically describing people or creatures that are delicate and easily harmed, often with a suggestion of cuteness or pathos.
- 微弱びじゃくna-adjective, nounUsed for feeble in the sense of faint or lacking strength, such as weak signals, faint light, or minimal force; it is a more technical or measured word than the others here.
- 弱々しいよわよわしいi-adjectiveDescribes something that looks or seems feeble, such as a weak voice, frail movements, or a sickly appearance; it emphasizes how weakness presents itself to the eye or ear.
- 病弱びょうじゃくna-adjective, no-adjectiveRestricted to feeble health: it describes a person of weak constitution who is often sick. If your 'feeble' is about illness or constitution, this is the word; otherwise it will not fit.
- 貧弱ひんじゃくna-adjective, nounMeans poor, meagre, or feeble in quality, content, or build, as in a skimpy meal, thin argument, or puny physique; for bodily or moral weakness it is only a marginal choice.
Choose by what is feeble: 「か弱い」 for delicate people or things, 微弱 for faint signals or strength, 「弱々しい」 for weak-seeming appearance or manner, 病弱 for poor health, and 貧弱 for things that are meagre or poorly made.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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