How to say "rough" in Japanese

• 雑ざつJLPT N1approx.Common
  na-adjectiveCovers 'rough' meaning careless and sloppy: work done quickly without attention to detail, so the result is crude or messy. Think of a rushed, untidy job rather than physical roughness.
  お客きゃくが雑ざつな作つくりのスタンドに座すわって靴くつを磨みがいてもらっている。↗

  A customer is having his shoes shined on a slapped-together stand.
• ラフCommon
  na-adjectiveA loanword from English; in drawing and design it refers to a rough, unfinished first version — a quick preliminary sketch or draft made before the polished final work.
• 荒いあらいJLPT N2approx.Common
  i-adjectiveCovers 'rough' in the sense of wild, violent, or harsh: rough movement or handling, a rough temper or manner, rough conditions at sea. The force is real and often unpleasant.
  僕ぼくのボスは人使ひとづかいが荒あらいんだ。↗

  My boss is a slave driver.
• 大まかおおまかCommon
  na-adjectiveThis is the 'rough' of approximation: a rough estimate, outline, or idea that is broad and general rather than exact or detailed.
  警察官けいさつかんはその少女しょうじょに、いなくなった犬いぬの大おおまかな絵えを描えがくように求もとめた。↗

  The police asked the girl to make a rough sketch of her lost dog.
• ザラザラCommon
  adverb (with と), suru verb, no-adjective, na-adjectiveA mimetic word describing a coarse, gritty texture felt under the hand, like sand; it also describes a rough, husky voice.
  猫ねこの舌したはざらざらしている。↗

  The tongue of a cat feels rough.

Choose 雑 for careless, sloppy work, 「荒い」 for wild or violent force and manner, 「大まか」 for approximate estimates and outlines, 「ザラザラ」 for gritty texture or a husky voice, and 「ラフ」 for rough drafts in drawing and design.

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

• 雑ざつrough
• ラフrough
• 荒いあらいrough
• 大まかおおまかrough (estimate, outline, etc.)
• ざらざらrough (touch, voice, etc.)
• 大雑把おおざっぱrough (estimate, summary, etc.)
• 荒々しいあらあらしいrough
• 粗いあらいcoarse
• 粗末そまつcrude
• アバウトapproximate (number)
• ぞんざいrough
• 粗暴そぼうrough (behaviour, temperament, etc.)
• 粗大そだいcoarse
• 粗雑そざつcoarse
• 渋いしぶいastringent
• 粗野そやrustic
• 耳障りみみざわりhard (on the ears)
• 粗鬆そそうrough
• 粗そcoarse
• いかついstern
• 荒くれあらくれrough
• 大づかみおおづかみrough (explanation, details, etc.)
• 粗放そほうrough
• 手荒てあらviolent
• 手荒いてあらいviolent
• 粗略そりゃくcoarse
• 荒れたあれたwild
• 野性的やせいてきwild
• 未精製みせいせいcrude
• ラフ案ラフあんrough draft
• 荒ぶるあらぶるsavage
• がさつcrude
• だいたいgeneral
• 乱暴らんぼうrough (handling, language, etc.)
• がさがさrough (of a person)
• 荒っぽいあらっぽいrough (e.g. work)
• 伝法でんぽうrough
• 草々そうそうrough
• もろみunrefined (sake, soy sauce, etc.)
• 野太いのぶといthroaty (voice)
• 大おおrough
• ざっくりrough (material)
• がらがらrough (personality, speech, etc.)
• あらrough