Translation guide
The state or quality of being unable to do something properly, lacking the necessary skill or ability. In Japanese, this concept is often expressed through nouns describing inability, adjectives for being unskilled, or phrases indicating lack of capability. The choice depends on formality, context, and whether referring to oneself or others.
Expressing that someone is generally incompetent or lacks the ability to perform tasks well.
A direct and common noun meaning 'incompetence' or 'inability'. Can be used for people or systems. Often carries a strong negative connotation.
彼は無能だ。
He is incompetent.
無能な上司に困っている。
I'm troubled by my incompetent boss.
A more formal or legal term for 'incompetence' or 'incapacity'. Often used in official contexts.
彼の無能力が証明された。
His incompetence was proven.
Means 'powerlessness' or 'inability', often implying a lack of power or influence rather than just skill. Can be used for incompetence in a broader sense.
自分の無力を感じた。
I felt my own incompetence/powerlessness.
A common phrase meaning 'to have no ability'. More descriptive and slightly softer than 無能.
彼は仕事の能力がない。
He has no ability for the job. / He is incompetent at his job.
私にはその能力がない。
I don't have the ability for that.
Literally 'useless person'. A blunt, colloquial term for someone who is incompetent or good-for-nothing.
Can be insulting. Use with care.
あいつは本当に役立たずだ。
That guy is really useless/incompetent.
Describing someone as unskilled or not good at something, often in a specific domain.
A na-adjective meaning 'unskillful' or 'poor at'. Commonly used for specific skills. Can be used self-deprecatingly.
私は料理が下手です。
I am bad at cooking.
下手な絵
a poorly drawn picture
A na-adjective meaning 'weak point' or 'not good at'. Softer than 下手, often implying a personal dislike or lack of confidence rather than objective incompetence.
Means 'clumsy' or 'awkward', often referring to manual dexterity or social skills. Can imply incompetence in handling things.
Referring to incompetence in a professional or official capacity, often with serious consequences.
Also used in professional contexts to describe incompetence. Can be combined with job titles.
無能な医者
an incompetent doctor
Means 'blunder' or 'failure', often implying incompetence leading to a mistake. Used in business or formal settings.
Means 'clumsiness' or 'poor handling', often used to apologize for one's own or one's organization's incompetence.
Emphasizing that the incompetence stems from not trying hard enough or being negligent.
Means 'negligence' or 'laziness', often implying incompetence through lack of effort. Used in formal contexts.
彼の怠慢が事故を引き起こした。
His negligence/incompetence caused the accident.
Literally 'has no motivation'. Can imply incompetence due to lack of effort.
あの新人はやる気がないから、仕事ができない。
That new employee has no motivation, so he can't do his job (is incompetent).
無能 (munō) is a strong, direct noun meaning 'incompetence' and is often used for serious lack of ability. 下手 (heta) is an adjective for being unskilled at a specific activity, often used casually. 苦手 (nigate) is softer, implying a personal weakness or dislike, not necessarily objective incompetence. Use 無能 for harsh criticism, 下手 for self-deprecation or casual comment, and 苦手 to politely express you're not good at something.
English often uses 'incompetent' as an adjective (e.g., 'He is incompetent'). While 無能な (munō na) exists, it can sound stiff. More natural alternatives include 能力がない (nōryoku ga nai) or 下手 (heta) depending on context. For self-reference, 苦手 (nigate) is often more appropriate.
The phrase できない (dekinai) meaning 'cannot do' is a very common and natural way to express incompetence in a specific task. For example, 彼は仕事ができない (kare wa shigoto ga dekinai) means 'He can't do his job' implying incompetence. It's less direct than 無能 and widely used in daily conversation.
彼の無能ぶりはよく知られている。
His incompetence is well known.
無能を理由に解雇された。
I was fired for incompetence.
彼女は人を管理する能力がない。
She is incompetent at managing people.
I'm not good at math.
He is clumsy and fails at everything he does.
彼の失態で会社は大きな損害を受けた。
The company suffered a huge loss due to his incompetence/blunder.
I caused you trouble due to my incompetence/poor handling.