How to say "incomplete" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 不全ふぜんna-adjective, no-adjectiveSeldom the word you want for a general 'incomplete'; it really describes an organ or function that fails to work adequately, and appears chiefly in medical and technical expressions.
- 未完みかんno-adjectiveCovers the sense of a work left unfinished: a novel or painting that never reached completion. It states the lack of an ending plainly, without judging quality.
- 未完成みかんせいno-adjective, na-adjectiveThe all-purpose word for something not yet finished — a work, plan, or skill still under way; its 'imperfect' side also lets it describe something done but falling short.
- 荒削りあらけずりna-adjective, nounNot the neutral 'incomplete': it means rough-hewn and unrefined, said of a work or a person's ability that is raw and still taking shape, often with a hint of promise.
- 不完全ふかんぜんna-adjective, nounThe general word for something imperfect or defective — information with gaps, a system with faults; it stresses flaws or missing elements more than sheer unfinishedness.
Choose 未完成 for anything not yet finished, 未完 for works left unfinished, 不完全 for things flawed or missing pieces, 「荒削り」 for rough but promising work, and 不全 for failing organs or functions in medical expressions.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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