Translation guide
To carry out a task clumsily or incompetently, resulting in failure or a poor outcome. In Japanese, this is often expressed with verbs meaning 'to fail', 'to mess up', or 'to botch', depending on the nuance.
The most common, general meaning: to fail at something because of a mistake or lack of skill.
The most direct and neutral way to say 'fail' or 'mess up'. Suitable for most situations.
I bungled the presentation.
A casual, somewhat rough way to say 'mess up' or 'screw up'. Often used among friends or in informal contexts.
I bungled it again.
Very casual, often implies a blunder that is somewhat embarrassing or noticeable. Common in spoken Japanese.
He bungled an important business negotiation.
A slightly old-fashioned or mild way to say 'make a blunder'. Not as common in modern casual speech.
I bungled it and got scolded by my boss.
Specifically failing at a manual task, sports move, or performance due to clumsiness.
Emphasizes the negative outcome: you didn't just fail, you made a mess of things.
Means 'to ruin' or 'spoil'. Stronger than just failing; implies the result is completely messed up.
He bungled the plan (and ruined it).
Very strong, casual. Literally 'smash up', figuratively 'wreck' or 'screw up royally'.
Means 'to make a mess of', 'to ruin'. Common in everyday speech.
I bungled the explanation (made a mess of it).
失敗する is the standard, neutral word for 'fail' and can be used in any context. しくじる is casual and implies a blunder, often used among peers. やらかす is even more casual and often carries a nuance of 'I've done it now' or a spectacular mistake. Use 失敗する in formal situations or writing.
I failed the exam. (neutral)
I messed up again. (casual)
He bungled it again. (very casual, almost like 'he did it again')
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'bungle' in all its nuances. Avoid trying to use obscure dictionary translations like 不手際 (ふてぎわ, clumsiness) as a verb; it's unnatural. Instead, choose the appropriate verb based on the context: failing, messing up, or ruining.
キャッチをしくじった。
I bungled the catch.
I bungled the shot.
His mistake bungled everything.