How to say "trivial" in Japanese

• 些細ささいCommon
  na-adjectiveThe neutral, everyday choice for something trivial, trifling or slight in importance; used of matters, mistakes and details. A safe default when you mean 'not significant' without any dismissive tone.
  そんなささいなことで私を悩なやまさないでくれ。↗

  Don't bother me with such trifles.
• 瑣末さまつCommon
  na-adjective, nounAlso means trivial or trifling, with a slightly formal, written flavour; often applied to fussy, minor details. Suitable in formal prose where 些細 might feel too plain.
• くだらないJLPT N2approx.Common
  i-adjectiveTrivial in the dismissive sense: worthless, silly, not worth bothering with. Use it for rubbish talk, pointless questions or stupid jokes; it carries open contempt, unlike neutral 些細.
  くだらない話はなしはもうたくさんだ。↗

  We have had enough of empty words.
• 自明じめいCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveA poor match for 'trivial' despite the gloss link: it really means self-evident, obvious or axiomatic. In mathematics 'trivial' can approach this, but for ordinary 'unimportant' matters this is seldom the word you want.
  ジョーダンがこの実験じっけんでメイン・エンジンを交換こうかんしたことは自明じめいである。↗

  That Jordan replaced the main engine in this experiment is self-evident.
• どうでもいいCommon
  expression, i-adjective (よい/いい)Trivial as 'inconsequential — I couldn't care less'. It expresses the speaker's indifference rather than the thing's smallness, so use it for matters you personally consider not worth worrying about.
  君きみが来くるかどうかは私にとってはどうでもよいことだ。↗

  It does not matter to me whether you come or not.

For 'trivial' in the sense of insignificant or unimportant, 些細, 瑣末, 「くだらない」 and 「どうでもいい」 all work, while 自明 is a false friend meaning self-evident, not trivial.

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

• 些細ささいtrivial
• 瑣末さまつtrivial
• くだらないtrivial
• 自明じめいself-evident
• どうでもいいinconsequential
• 駄だpoor
• 末梢的まっしょうてきtrivial
• たいしたことないtrivial
• 大したことではないたいしたことではないtrivial
• くだらんtrivial
• くだらぬtrivial
• トリビアルtrivial
• 何のことはないなんのことはないtrivial
• それしきtrivial
• 低次元ていじげんlow-level
• 取るに足りないとるにたりないof little importance
• 貧小ひんしょうpetty
• 屁でもないへでもないof no concern
• 何するものぞなにするものぞnothing to be afraid of
• たかの知れたたかのしれたtrifling
• しがないworthless
• ちょっとしたslight
• 益体もないやくたいもないuseless
• どうだっていいinconsequential
• ばかtrivial
• 細かいこまかいminor
• 軽いかるいnon-serious
• つまらないinsignificant
• 子供だましこどもだましtrivial (e.g. scheme)
• かりそめtrifling
• 区々くくpetty
• どうかしたslightest
• 知れたしれたinsignificant
• つまらぬinsignificant
• つまらんinsignificant
• 小さいちいさいunimportant