How to say "underdog" in Japanese

• 負け犬まけいぬCommon
  nounA common word for 'underdog' as 'loser' or 'failure': someone who keeps losing or never succeeds and is looked down on for it. Blunt, often contemptuous or self-deprecating — harsher than English 'underdog'.
  負け犬まけいぬになるわけにはいかない。↗

  I can't stand getting beaten.
• アンダードッグ
  nounThe loanword, used for the neutral sense of a person or side expected to lose a match, contest, or election. It carries no 'loser' or 'failure' nuance, and is the less common word.

Use 「アンダードッグ」 for the neutral sense of a side or person expected to lose a contest; use 「負け犬」 when you mean a loser or failure outright — a harsher, more personal word for someone beaten down.

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

• 負け犬まけいぬloser
• アンダードッグunderdog