無駄・徒|むだmuda[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Which spelling to use
無駄無駄 is the most common written form and an ateji spelling, using kanji for their sound rather than their original meaning; it is the form learners will most often encounter.
徒徒 is a rarely used kanji-only variant of 無駄, so you will seldom see it and should not choose it when writing this word.
Definitions
- noun, na-adjectivefutility; waste; uselessness; pointlessness; idleness
Conjugation
| Plain form | 無駄（むだ） |
|---|---|
| Polite (desu) | 無駄です（むだです） |
| Negative (dewa nai) | 無駄ではない（むだではない） |
| polite (dewa arimasen) | 無駄ではありません（むだではありません） |
| Past (datta) | 無駄だった（むだだった） |
| Past negative (dewa nakatta) | 無駄ではなかった（むだではなかった） |
| Te form (de) | 無駄で（むだで） |
| Adverbial (ni) | 無駄に（むだに） |
| Conditional (nara) | 無駄なら（むだなら） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym無益むえきWrittenWritten/formal: describes something that brings no benefit, as in 「無益な争い」. 「無駄」 is more colloquial and also covers waste and wasted effort.
- Synonym無用むようNeutralFor what is unnecessary or not needed, often on signs like 「立入無用」「心配無用」; 「無駄」 focuses on wasted effort and waste.
- Synonym不毛ふもうNeutralLiterally barren land; figuratively discussions etc. that produce no results, as in 「不毛な議論」; 「無駄」 is more general.
- Synonym無意味むいみNeutralEmphasizes having no meaning or not being worth doing, as in 「無意味な質問」; 「無駄」 stresses wasted effort or waste.
- Synonym甲斐無いかいないWrittenWritten/formal: your efforts go unrewarded and the work is wasted, with a tone of regret; in everyday speech say 「無駄だ」 or 「甲斐がない」.
- Synonym徒爾とじWrittenWritten and archaic: futile and without benefit, rare; in daily use say 「無駄」.
- Synonym益体もないやくたいもないCasualColloquial set phrase, somewhat old-fashioned: utterly useless and deadly dull, with a contemptuous edge that 「無駄」 lacks.
- Synonym詮無いせんないWrittenWritten/formal: doing it would be useless and there is no help for it, with a sighing tone; in daily speech say 「仕方ない」 or 「無駄だ」.
- Synonym甲斐なしかいなしWrittenWritten and archaic: completely useless and hopeless; in everyday use say 「無駄」 or 「甲斐がない」.
- RelatedだめCasualColloquial and extremely versatile: no good, useless, not allowed; 「無駄」 specifically means wasted effort or waste.
- Related無駄遣いむだづかいNeutralSpecifically wasting money, or time and other resources; also works as a verb, 「無駄遣いする」; 「無駄」 is broader.
- RelatedもったいないNeutralCarries a feeling of regret that something good is going to waste; 「無駄」 states objectively that something is useless or wasted.
- Related馬鹿らしいばからしいCasualColloquial: absurd and not worth taking seriously; 「無駄」 focuses on lack of effect.
- Related不経済ふけいざいWrittenWritten/formal: spending that is uneconomical or poor value, as in 「不経済な使い方」; 「無駄」 is broader.
- Related浪費ろうひNeutralWasting money, time or energy, as in 「時間の浪費」; leans written/formal — colloquially say 「無駄遣い」.
- Related空費くうひWrittenWritten/formal: wasting time or funds for nothing, as in 「時間を空費する」; in daily speech say 「無駄にする」.
- RelatedくだらないCasualColloquial: boring, trivial, good-for-nothing; 「無駄」 focuses on lack of effect and does not imply something is silly.
- RelatedばかばかしいCasualColloquial: utterly stupid and ridiculous, stronger than 「馬鹿らしい」; 「無駄」 stresses wasted effort.
- Related乱費らんぴWrittenWritten/formal: squandering money or resources recklessly; in daily speech say 「無駄遣い」.
- Related冗費じょうひWrittenWritten/formal: unnecessary expenses; in everyday speech say 「無駄な出費」.
- Related蕩尽とうじんWrittenWritten/formal: squandering the family fortune through dissipation; 「無駄」 covers waste generally, without the sense of spending it all.
- Antonym益えきWrittenWritten/formal antonym: benefit, advantage or profit, the opposite of 「無駄」 in usefulness.
Everyday wasted effort or waste calls for 「無駄」. To waste money or time, use 「無駄遣い」 or 「浪費」; if wasting something good feels like a shame, 「もったいない」; for what has no meaning, 「無意味」; for discussions that lead nowhere, 「不毛」. Written words like 「無益」「空費」「乱費」 suit formal prose, while 「駄目」 and 「下らない」 are the colloquial picks for 'no good' or 'not worth it'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
