Translation guide
The quality of being rough, crude, or lacking refinement, applied to textures, materials, language, behavior, or granularity.
Describing a surface or material that is not smooth or fine.
General term for roughness of a surface or texture. Often used in technical contexts.
この紙の粗さが気になる。
I'm bothered by the coarseness of this paper.
Describes a gritty, granular roughness, like sandpaper or unpolished stone.
壁のざらつきが手に触れる。
I can feel the coarseness of the wall on my hand.
Specifically refers to the coarseness of grain or texture, like in wood or fabric.
この布はきめの粗さが目立つ。
The coarseness of this fabric's texture stands out.
Describing speech or actions that are rude, offensive, or lacking refinement.
Vulgarity or crudeness in speech or behavior. Common in everyday conversation.
彼の冗談の下品さには驚いた。
I was surprised by the coarseness of his jokes.
Roughness or boorishness, often implying a lack of manners or polish.
彼の態度の粗野さが気に入らない。
I don't like the coarseness of his attitude.
Unrefined, unsophisticated, or rustic coarseness. Slightly old-fashioned.
彼の服装の野暮ったさが目立つ。
The coarseness of his attire is noticeable.
Describing something composed of large particles, like sand, salt, or powder.
Coarse-grained, as opposed to fine. Used for salt, sugar, sand, etc.
粗目の塩を使うと味が変わる。
Using coarse salt changes the flavor.
Technical term for coarse particles or grains, often in geology or materials science.
この砂は粗粒が多い。
This sand has a lot of coarse grains.
Describing something that is rough or approximate, not finely detailed.
Roughness in the sense of being approximate or lacking detail. Often used for estimates or descriptions.
彼の説明の大雑把さに困った。
I was troubled by the coarseness of his explanation.
Can also mean roughness in the sense of imprecision, but more commonly used for texture.
この地図の粗さでは役に立たない。
The coarseness of this map makes it useless.
粗さ (あらさ) is a general term for roughness, often used in technical or objective descriptions. ざらつき refers specifically to a gritty, granular texture you can feel, like sandpaper. Use ざらつき for tactile sensations.
表面の粗さを測定する。
Measure the surface roughness.
舌にざらつきを感じる。
Feel a coarseness on the tongue.
When referring to crude language or behavior, do not use 粗さ (あらさ). Instead, use 下品さ (げひんさ) or 粗野さ (そやさ). 粗さ is for physical roughness.
彼の言葉の下品さに引いた。
I was put off by the coarseness of his words.