How to say "unfinished" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 未了みりょうno-adjectiveUnfinished in the sense of left undone or unexecuted: pending business, unfilled orders, matters still outstanding. It is really a word for such pending matters, not for unfinished works of art.
- 未完みかんno-adjectiveCovers unfinished for works left incomplete — a novel or other piece of writing its author never brought to completion. It describes the work itself as remaining unfinished.
- 中途半端ちゅうとはんぱna-adjective, no-adjectiveUnfinished here means stopped halfway or done by half measures: quitting a task partway through or taking halfhearted steps. It usually carries a critical nuance — neither one thing nor the other.
- 未完成みかんせいno-adjective, na-adjectiveCovers unfinished in the basic sense of not yet complete: a painting, building, or manuscript still awaiting completion. It can also suggest something imperfect — flawed for want of completion.
Use 未完成 for works or projects not yet complete, 未完 for works left incomplete, 未了 for pending business or unfilled orders, and 中途半端 for things abandoned halfway or done by half measures.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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