How to say "unfamiliar" in Japanese

• 不慣れふなれCommon
  na-adjective, nounCovers 'unfamiliar (with)': lacking experience of a task, place, or routine. The nuance is inexperience and the awkwardness it brings, as of someone new to a job still finding their way.
  私は人前ひとまえで話はなしをするのに不慣ふなれだ。↗

  I'm not used to speaking in public.
• 見知らぬみしらぬCommon
  pre-noun adjectivalCovers 'unfamiliar' as 'not known by sight': a person or place one has never seen, such as a stranger or an unfamiliar town. The nuance is strangeness rather than lack of experience.
  その犬いぬは見知みしらぬ人ひとには誰だれにでも吠ほえる。↗

  The dog barks at all strangers.
• 見ず知らずみずしらずCommon
  no-adjectiveCovers 'unfamiliar' chiefly of people: someone one has neither seen nor known, a total stranger. It stresses complete lack of acquaintance; for unfamiliar tasks or places it is seldom the word you want.
  どうして見みず知しらずの男おとこが自分じぶんの名前なまえを知しっているんだろう？↗

  How did a total stranger know his name?

Choose 「不慣れ」 for unfamiliarity from inexperience, as with a new task or surroundings; 「見知らぬ」 for people or places never seen or known; 「見ず知らず」 for people who are complete strangers.

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

• 不慣れふなれinexperienced
• 見知らぬみしらぬstrange
• 見ず知らずみずしらずstrange
• 見覚えのないみおぼえのないunfamiliar
• 耳新しいみみあたらしいnovel
• 得体の知れないえたいのしれないstrange
• 得体が知れないえたいがしれないstrange
• 見も知らぬみもしらぬcompletely unknown (usu. of people)
• 得体の知れぬえたいのしれぬstrange
• 耳遠いみみどおいunfamiliar
• 疎いうといknowing little (of)
• 暗いくらいunfamiliar (with)