How to say "scattered" in Japanese

• 薔薇薔薇バラバラCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjective, adverb, suru verbCovers things scattered or fallen apart into pieces, or dispersed; the onomatopoeic feel gives it a vivid, physical image. Typical for papers, beads, or a group breaking up into bits.
  詩人しじんが言葉ことばに対たいしていだく愛情あいじょうにも似にた感情かんじょうを、科学者かがくしゃは事実じじつ（たとえばらばらの事実じじつであれ）に対たいしていだく。↗

  The scientist has a love of facts, even isolated facts, similar to the poet's love of words.
• まばらCommon
  na-adjectiveFor things scattered thinly or sparsely over a space — a straggling crowd, thin applause, houses dotted here and there. It stresses fewness and spacing, not breakage or disconnection.
  ９月がつの海うみは、人ひとがまばらだね。↗

  In September, there are just a few people here and there on the beach.
• 離れ離れはなればなれCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveUsed when people or things that belong together are separated or apart, as family members scattered by circumstance. It emphasizes being divided from one another rather than spread thinly.
  離はなればなれにちょうど２週間しゅうかん過すごしたところです。↗

  We've just spent two weeks apart.
• 散漫さんまんCommon
  na-adjective, nounSeldom the word you want for physically scattered things; its glosses point to the abstract sense — a vague, desultory, distracted quality, as of a loose, unfocused argument or wandering attention.
  寝不足ねぶそくだと注意ちゅういが散漫さんまんになりがちです。↗

  When you lack sleep, you are apt to be careless.

Use バラバラ for things physically broken or dispersed into pieces, 「まばら」 for sparse scattering over an area, 「離れ離れ」 for people or things separated from each other, and 散漫 only for abstract scatteredness of attention or content.

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

• ばらばらscattered
• まばらsparse
• 離れ離れはなればなれseparate
• 散漫さんまんvague
• 散り散りちりぢりscattered
• ばらりscattered
• 紛々ふんぷんconfused
• 飛び飛びとびとびsporadic
• ぱらぱらsparse
• ぼちぼちhere and there
• ぽつぽつhere and there
• ぼつぼつhere and there
• 薄いうすいsparse