Translation guide
Describes physical weakness, delicacy, or vulnerability, often due to age, illness, or inherent lack of strength.
Describing a person or their body as physically weak, easily broken, or lacking strength, often due to age or illness.
Emphasizes delicate, fragile weakness, often used for women, children, or the elderly. Conveys a sense of vulnerability.
彼女はか弱い体で重い荷物を運んだ。
She carried the heavy luggage with her frail body.
Suggests a lack of physical strength or stamina, often with a negative connotation of being weak or puny. Common for describing someone who is not robust.
彼はひ弱で、すぐに疲れてしまう。
He is frail and gets tired quickly.
A more formal or medical term for constitutional weakness or frailty. Often used in health contexts.
祖母は虚弱で、よく病気になる。
My grandmother is frail and often gets sick.
Describes an appearance or manner that seems weak and frail. Often used for a person's demeanor or physical presence.
彼の弱々しい姿を見て心配になった。
Seeing his frail figure made me worried.
Describing something that is not sturdy, easily broken, or delicate, like a structure or object.
Means brittle, fragile, or easily broken. Can be used for materials, objects, or even abstract things like promises.
このガラスはもろいので、注意して扱ってください。
This glass is frail, so please handle it with care.
Literally 'easy to break', a straightforward way to say something is fragile or frail.
その古い橋は壊れやすくて危険だ。
That old bridge is frail and dangerous.
Describing something abstract like an argument, hope, or connection as weak, flimsy, or easily defeated.
General word for 'weak', applicable to abstract concepts. Can mean frail in the sense of lacking power or conviction.
彼の主張は根拠が弱い。
His argument is based on frail evidence.
Formal term for vulnerability or fragility, often used in technical contexts like security or systems.
か弱い (kayowai) emphasizes delicate vulnerability and is often sympathetic. ひ弱 (hiyowa) can sound more negative, implying lack of stamina or manliness. 虚弱 (kyojaku) is formal/medical and refers to constitutional weakness.
The English word 'frail' is sometimes borrowed as フレイル (fureiru) in Japanese, but this is mainly used in medical/geriatric contexts (frailty syndrome). For everyday use, stick to native Japanese words.
その老人は弱々しく見えた。
The old man looked frail.
彼女は昔から虚弱だ。
Her health has always been frail.
このシステムはセキュリティが脆弱だ。
This system has frail security.