Translation guide
Describes someone lacking the ability or skill to do something properly. Japanese has several words for 'incompetent,' ranging from formal to casual, and often the best choice depends on context and severity.
To say someone is generally incompetent or incapable, often in a work or task context.
A strong, direct word for 'incompetent' or 'incapable.' Often used as a noun or na-adjective. Can be harsh, so use with care.
彼は無能な上司だ。
He is an incompetent boss.
無能な政治家にうんざりしている。
I'm fed up with incompetent politicians.
Literally 'useless,' implying incompetence through inability to be of help. More colloquial and insulting than 無能.
あいつは本当に役立たずだ。
That guy is really incompetent/useless.
Means 'powerless' or 'helpless,' but can imply incompetence when someone lacks the ability to act effectively.
彼は無力なリーダーだった。
He was an incompetent leader.
Means 'unskillful' or 'poor at something.' Used for specific skills rather than overall competence. Often used with が.
彼は仕事が下手だ。
He is incompetent at his job.
Very casual and broad, meaning 'no good' or 'useless.' Can describe an incompetent person, but is vague and informal.
あの店員はダメだ。
That clerk is incompetent.
To state that someone is not competent or qualified, often in legal, professional, or official contexts.
Literally 'unqualified,' used when someone lacks the required credentials or licenses. Implies incompetence due to lack of formal qualification.
無資格の医師が手術を行った。
An incompetent/unqualified doctor performed the surgery.
Means 'disqualified' or 'ineligible,' often used in official judgments of incompetence.
A formal term for 'incapacity' or 'incompetence,' often used in legal or psychological contexts.
To emphasize that incompetence stems from lack of intelligence or poor judgment.
Means 'foolish' or 'stupid,' implying incompetence through bad decisions. Stronger than 馬鹿.
愚かな経営者が会社を潰した。
The incompetent/foolish manager ruined the company.
Common word for 'stupid' or 'idiot.' Can imply incompetence in a harsh, insulting way.
馬鹿なミスをした。
I made an incompetent/stupid mistake.
Means 'stupid' or 'dumb,' often implying incompetence through clumsiness or foolishness. Colloquial.
To describe someone who is bad at a particular activity, not necessarily overall.
Pattern: [skill] + が下手. Means 'bad at [skill].' The most common way to say someone is incompetent at a specific thing.
私は料理が下手です。
I am incompetent at cooking.
彼は運転が下手だ。
He is an incompetent driver.
Pattern: [skill] + が苦手. Means 'not good at [skill]' or 'weak at [skill].' Softer than 下手, often used for personal weaknesses.
数字が苦手で、経理は無理です。
I'm incompetent with numbers, so accounting is impossible for me.
Means 'clumsy' or 'awkward,' often implying incompetence in manual tasks or social situations.
Words like 無能 or 役立たず are strong insults. In many situations, it's better to soften the statement with phrases like あまり上手ではない (not very good) or 能力が足りない (lacking ability).
無能 implies a fundamental lack of ability, often as a character trait. 下手 is about skill level in a specific area and is less severe. Use 下手 for 'bad at something' and 無能 for 'incompetent as a person.'
彼はその仕事に不適格だと判断された。
He was judged incompetent for the job.
彼は無能力者と認定された。
He was declared incompetent.
The incompetent/stupid thief was caught immediately.
He is incompetent/clumsy and breaks everything he makes.