How to say "skilled" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- i-adjectiveCovers 'skilled' as admiring, on-the-spot praise of someone's technique — the word you exclaim when watching someone perform. Usually written in kana alone, it can also describe food as tasting good.
- 上手じょうずna-adjective, nounThe neutral, all-purpose word for being good at something — the safe first choice when you simply mean someone is skilled, whether at cooking, sports, languages or almost anything else.
- 堪能たんのうna-adjective, nounLeans toward 'proficient': it suggests genuine command of a skill, and is a natural choice for describing someone as proficient in a language or craft.
- 老練ろうれんna-adjective, no-adjectiveFor 'skilled' this is really about long experience: it describes a seasoned veteran, an expert whose skill reflects years in the field, not someone who is simply good at something.
- 達者たっしゃna-adjectiveCovers 'skilled' in the sense of 'adept': it describes someone proficient and adept at what they do. Reach for it when the nuance you want is adeptness rather than plain 'good at'.
For plain 'good at', 上手 is the neutral default and 「うまい」 the admiring, exclamatory counterpart; 堪能 stresses real proficiency, 老練 skill born of long experience, and 達者 adeptness.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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