How to say "unpaid" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 未払いみはらいno-adjectiveCovers unpaid in the financial sense: a bill, invoice, or wages that are due but have not yet been paid. It describes an outstanding payment, not work that carries no salary.
- 無給むきゅうno-adjectiveDescribes work or a position that carries no salary. Use it for a job or post that is simply nonsalaried, not for a payment that is owed and overdue.
- 無報酬むほうしゅうno-adjectiveAlso describes work done without pay, but frames it as the absence of any reward or remuneration, and often implies voluntary activity. A natural choice for unpaid volunteer or charitable work.
Use 「未払い」 for money that is owed and overdue, 無給 for work or positions that carry no salary, and 無報酬 for work done without pay, typically on a voluntary basis.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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