Translation guide
Expressing that something is impossible to understand, often with nuances of being unclear, nonsensical, or beyond comprehension.
Describing speech, writing, or ideas that cannot be understood at all.
The most direct and common way to say 'incomprehensible'. Literally 'cannot understand'. Used for things that are beyond one's understanding.
His explanation is completely incomprehensible.
This text is too difficult to understand.
Means 'meaning unclear' or 'nonsensical'. Often used for statements or actions that make no sense.
What he's saying is incomprehensible.
That email was incomprehensible.
Means 'incomprehensible' or 'mysterious'. Slightly more formal, often used for puzzling situations or behavior.
His behavior is incomprehensible.
A colloquial phrase meaning 'makes no sense' or 'I can't make heads or tails of it'. Very common in spoken Japanese.
I have no idea what happened; it's incomprehensible.
An onomatopoeic word meaning 'completely incomprehensible', like gibberish. Often used for foreign languages or technical jargon.
It's all technical jargon; it's completely incomprehensible.
Describing something so vast, complex, or profound that it cannot be fully grasped.
Means 'immeasurable' or 'unfathomable'. Used for things like depth of feeling, scale of the universe, etc.
The vastness of the universe is incomprehensible.
Literally 'beyond imagination'. Used for extreme situations or suffering.
A philosophical term meaning 'unknowable'. Rare in everyday speech.
Describing something that cannot be understood because it is garbled, in a foreign language, or poorly expressed.
Means 'cannot catch/hear clearly'. Used for speech that is too quiet, fast, or mumbled.
His voice is too quiet; it's incomprehensible.
Means 'cannot decipher/read'. Used for illegible handwriting or unclear text.
His handwriting is so messy it's incomprehensible.
Means 'incoherent' or 'disjointed'. Used for rambling, illogical speech or writing.
理解できない is a straightforward statement that you cannot understand something. 意味不明 implies that the thing itself is unclear or nonsensical, often with a negative judgment. Use 理解できない for neutral inability, and 意味不明 when you want to emphasize that something makes no sense.
This book is difficult and I can't understand it.
His reply was incomprehensible (nonsensical).
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'incomprehensible'. Choose the expression based on the specific nuance: inability to understand (理解できない), lack of meaning (意味不明), unfathomable scale (計り知れない), etc.
His sorrow is incomprehensible.
The situation in the disaster area is incomprehensible.
God's will is incomprehensible.
His argument is incoherent and incomprehensible.