How to say "nonsense" in Japanese

• でたらめJLPT N2approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveCovers nonsense as careless, made-up talk — irresponsible remarks, codswallop, hogwash. Typical when dismissing what someone said as fabricated or without basis, such as accusing a rumor or claim of being でたらめ.
  彼かれはでたらめな約束やくそくをして彼女かのじょを誘惑ゆうわくした。↗

  He seduced her with false promises.
• ナンセンスJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, na-adjectiveA loanword matching 'nonsense' directly. Use it when you want the English word's feel, often for absurd or pointless statements, jokes, or situations evaluated as lacking sense or meaning.
  それは、いくぶんナンセンスな趣おもむきの楽たのしさがあった。↗

  It was a delightful bit of nonsense.
• 無意味むいみJLPT N1approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounCovers nonsense in the sense of 'no meaning; meaningless'. Choose this when the point is that something has no meaning or serves no purpose, rather than that someone's talk is silly or irresponsible.
  だが俺おれはお前まえのとって永遠えいえんに無意味むいみなまま。↗

  But for you I'll always be insignificant.
• 馬鹿らしいばからしいJLPT N2approx.Common
  i-adjectiveReally means absurd, foolish, or silly; its glosses do not include 'nonsense' as a noun sense. It is seldom the word you want for 'nonsense' itself — use it to describe an action or idea as so foolish it hardly seems worth doing.
  彼女かのじょは馬鹿ばからしい質問しつもんをされていらいらした。↗

  She got rattled by the stupid question.
• 寝言ねごとCommon
  no-adjectiveLiterally sleep-talk, it covers nonsense and gibberish. Use it for words that make no sense, whether actual talking in one's sleep or, by extension, remarks dismissed as the ramblings of someone not thinking straight.

Use 「でたらめ」 for irresponsible, made-up remarks, 寝言 for sleep-talk or gibberish, 無意味 for meaninglessness, 「ナンセンス」 as a direct loanword for nonsense, and 「馬鹿らしい」 for actions felt as absurd or pointless.

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

• でたらめnonsense
• ナンセンスnonsense
• 無意味むいみnonsense
• 馬鹿らしいばからしいabsurd
• 戯言たわごとnonsense
• 徒言いたずらごとnonsense
• 譫言せんげんdelirious talk
• たわけtomfoolery
• 与太よたidle talk
• 駄弁だべんfoolish tale
• 世迷言よまいごとgrumbling
• 出放題でほうだいfree flow (of water)
• よしなし事よしなしごとtrivial thing
• 荒誕こうたんexaggerated beyond recognition
• 滅相もないめっそうもないdon't be absurd
• 痴れ言しれごとfoolish talk
• 寐語びごsleep-talking
• 囈語げいごdelirious talk
• 寝言ねごとnonsense
• うわごとnonsense