How to say "idle" in Japanese

• 怠惰たいだCommon
  na-adjective, nounCovers 'idle' describing people: someone lazy or indolent who avoids work. It names a character trait, not a state of unused machines or land.
  怠惰たいだは悪徳あくとくのもと。↗

  Idle hands are the devil's tool.
• 遊休ゆうきゅうCommon
  nounCovers 'idle' meaning 'not in use': it describes things rather than people — land lying fallow, or facilities and assets that sit unused. Not the word for a lazy person.

Choose 怠惰 when 'idle' describes a lazy, work-shy person; choose 遊休 when it describes things such as land or facilities that are unused or lying fallow.

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

• 怠惰たいだlazy
• 遊休ゆうきゅうidle
• アイドルidle
• 所在なげしょざいなげidle
• でれつくto idle
• 所在無いしょざいないbored
• いたずらuseless
• 閑散かんさんidle
• 用無しようなしhaving nothing to do
• 暇ひまfree