How to say "inadequate" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 不十分ふじゅうぶんna-adjective, nounThe general word: something is insufficient or imperfect — it falls short of what is needed in amount, degree, or quality. Typical contexts include preparation, time, or supplies that are not enough for the purpose.
- 浅いあさいi-adjectiveUsed when 'inadequate' describes knowledge: what someone knows is shallow or superficial rather than deep. Think of a learner whose grasp of a subject is too slight to build on.
- 貧しいまずしいi-adjectiveAt heart this means poor or lacking — wanting in quantity and quality alike — so it suits 'inadequate' when the idea is meagreness: a poor household, or provisions too scanty to meet the need.
- 舌足らずしたたらずno-adjective, na-adjectiveLimited to speech and writing: an explanation or wording that is unclear, imprecise, or poorly expressed, so the point does not come across. It is not a general word for inadequacy of things.
For the general sense of falling short in amount, degree, or quality, use 不十分; 「浅い」 is for shallow knowledge, 「貧しい」 for poverty or meagerness, and 「舌足らず」 for explanations or wording that fail to express the point.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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