曖昧・あい昧|あいまいaimai[0]heiban (flat)

1. na-adjective, nounvague; ambiguous; unclear
   その法律ほうりつには曖昧あいまいな点てんが多おおい。↗

   That law is full of ambiguities.
2. na-adjective, nounshady; disreputable
3. na-adjective, noun, math, computingfuzzy

• SynonymあやふやCasualColloquial word for being unsure or unreliable; 「曖昧」 stresses that things are ill-defined.
• SynonymうやむやNeutralNeutral word for leaving things unresolved or glossing over them, as in 「うやむやにする」; the emphasis is on matters being shelved.
• Synonym不鮮明ふせんめいWrittenWritten word for images or stances that lack sharpness, stressing vision or attitude; 「曖昧」 is more general.
• Synonym不明ふめいNeutralNeutral word for the unknown or unidentified, as in 「原因不明」; 「曖昧」 is about being vague.
• Synonym不確かふたしかNeutralNeutral word for something uncertain or unreliable; 「曖昧」 is about vague wording or expression.
• SynonymおぼろげWrittenWritten word for hazy memories or images — not seeing or remembering clearly; 「曖昧」 is about vague attitudes or statements.
• Synonym不明瞭ふめいりょうWrittenWritten word for unclear pronunciation or meaning; 「曖昧」 can also suggest something shady or disreputable.
• Synonym曖昧模糊あいまいもこWrittenFour-character compound that stresses vagueness; stronger than 「曖昧」 and found mostly in written prose.
• Synonym不分明ふぶんめいWrittenRare written word for things indistinct and hard to grasp; normally you would just say 「曖昧」.
• Synonym不得要領ふとくようりょうWrittenFour-character compound for replies that miss the point or fail to get across; 「曖昧」 stresses equivocation.
• Synonym模糊もこWrittenWritten word for blurriness; seldom stands alone and appears mostly in 「曖昧模糊」.
• Related不確定ふかくていWrittenWritten, rather formal word for what has not been settled or fixed; 「曖昧」 is about vague expression.
• Related不定ふていWrittenWritten word for things unfixed or irregular, as in 「住所不定」; it does not cover vague statements.
• RelatedかすかNeutralNeutral word for faint sounds or light that can barely be perceived; 「曖昧」 is about unclear meaning.
• RelatedほのかNeutralNeutral word for faint light, scent or sound, as in 「ほのかな香り」; stresses sensory faintness, while 「曖昧」 is about unclear meaning or attitudes.
• Related晦渋かいじゅうWrittenWritten word for texts that are obscure and hard to understand; 「曖昧」 is about meaning being unclear.
• RelatedおぼつかないNeutralNeutral word for lacking confidence or reliability, as in 「足元がおぼつかない」; stresses that something seems worrying.
• Antonym明確めいかくNeutralAntonym meaning clear and definite — the opposite of the vagueness of 「曖昧」.
• Antonym明瞭めいりょうWrittenWritten antonym meaning clear and easy to understand, the opposite of 「曖昧」.

Use 「曖昧」 for vague attitudes or statements and for ambiguous relationships. For hazy memories or images say 「おぼろげ」; when you are unsure, 「あやふや」; when something is left unresolved, 「うやむや」. For the opposite, clear and definite, use 「明確」. The remaining words cover narrower senses — faint sights or sounds, unknown causes, unsettled terms — and many belong to written prose.

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

1. 分明ふんみょうでないこと。事ことがはっきりとしないこと。目当めあての定さだまらないこと。また、そのさま。
2. 後ろ暗うしろぐらいこと。また、そのさま。
3. 両義性りょうぎせい。多義たぎ性せい。