不得意|ふとくいfutokui[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. na-adjective, nounone's weak point
   概がいして、日本にっぽんの人々ひとびとは外国語がいこくごが不得意ふとくいだ。↗

   As a rule, Japanese people are not good at foreign languages.

• Synonym下手へたNeutralBad at something or unskillful; the most common everyday word, as in 「歌が下手」. It stresses poor ability, while 「不得意」 stresses lacking confidence.
• Synonym不得手ふえてNeutralAlmost interchangeable with 「不得意」 as 'not good at', but slightly more written in flavor; it can also mean simply not liking something.
• SynonymへたくそCasualColloquial and crude: 'really lousy at'. Blunt enough to insult others, but also used for self-mockery, as in 「絵が下手くそだ」.
• SynonymつたないWrittenWritten, literary word for poor or clumsy; also used as a humble phrase, as in 「拙い文章ですが」. More elegant than the everyday options.
• SynonymぶきっちょNeutralClumsy with your hands or awkward at handling things, as in 「不器用な人」; it is about manual dexterity, not confidence in a subject.
• RelatedぎこちないNeutralDescribes stiff, unnatural movements, speech or behavior; it is about how something appears or sounds, not about lacking skill or confidence.
• Antonym得意とくいNeutralThe antonym: good at something, one's strong point or forte; the direct opposite of 「不得意」's 'not good at'.

For lacking confidence or skill in a field, use 「不得意」, as in 「数学が不得意」 or 「不得意科目」. For simply being bad at something, say 「下手」; for clumsy hands, 「不器用」; for being good at something, 「得意」.

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

1. その行為こういや事柄ことがらについて得意とくいではなく、自信じしんが持もてないこと。また、そのようなさま。