How to say "worn-out" in Japanese

• ボロボロCommon
  no-adjective, na-adjectiveThe common, default word for something physically falling apart: clothes, shoes or books gone ragged and tattered, or an object battered by long, hard use.
  祖母そぼは服ふくをボロボロになるまで着きる。↗

  My grandmother wears a dress to rags.
• ぼろい
  i-adjectiveA colloquial adjective for something you casually judge beat-up or shabby — an old car or appliance written off as worn-out. It is normally written in kana alone.
• ヨレヨレ
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers things gone limp and crumpled rather than torn — a shirt or sheet of paper wrinkled out of shape, or a person looking seedy and shabby.
  彼かれは小型こがたトラックとよれよれの大おおきな芝刈り機しばかりきをもっていた。↗

  He had an old pickup truck and a big, battered mower.
• おんぼろ
  prenominal modifier, na-adjective, no-adjectiveDescribes something run-down and shabby with age; a natural fit for a dilapidated house or building, and it extends to tattered, worn belongings.
  私の車くるまはおんぼろになってしまいました。↗

  My car is on its last legs.
• 使い古しつかいふるし
  no-adjectiveSays only that an item is worn out from long use, without the shabby or tattered overtones; a relatively uncommon choice, best when long use itself is the point.

Choose 「ボロボロ」 as the all-purpose word for things falling apart; 「ぼろい」 for casual, dismissive 'beat-up' judgments; 「ヨレヨレ」 for limp, crumpled wear; 「おんぼろ」 for run-down buildings; 「使い古し」 for items worn simply through long use.

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

• ぼろぼろworn-out
• ぼろいworn-out
• よれよれworn-out
• おんぼろworn-out
• 使い古しつかいふるしworn-out
• ぼろっちいworn-out
• 疲れたつかれたworn-out (as opposed to sleepy)
• 古ぼけたふるぼけたworn-out
• 衰残すいざんemaciated
• 手垢のついたてあかのついたworn-out (e.g. joke)
• カビ臭いかびくさいold-fashioned
• ギタギタseverely damaged
• ぼろworn-out