Translation guide
Describes something unsophisticated, not intellectual, or appealing to popular taste. Japanese expressions range from direct adjectives to nuanced terms about cultural level.
Describing something as lacking sophistication, intellectual depth, or cultural refinement.
Means 'vulgar' or 'lowbrow' in the sense of lacking refinement, often used for entertainment or content.
I think that show is lowbrow.
An adjective meaning 'vulgar', 'worldly', or 'lowbrow', often implying a lack of elegance or sophistication.
His tastes are lowbrow.
Literally 'for the masses', often used to describe lowbrow entertainment or products aimed at a broad, non-elite audience.
Lowbrow movies can become hits even with a small budget.
Literally 'low brain', a derogatory term for something stupid or lowbrow. Stronger and more insulting than 低俗.
Very rude; avoid in polite conversation.
I don't watch such lowbrow TV.
Specifically for art, literature, or media that is considered shallow or not intellectually stimulating.
Means 'uncultured' or 'lacking refinement', often used to describe people or their tastes, but can apply to works.
He only reads lowbrow novels.
Means 'low-grade' or 'inferior', often used for lowbrow entertainment or literature.
Means 'popular' or 'common', often with a nuance of being lowbrow or lacking sophistication in literary contexts.
Describing humor or entertainment that is crude, vulgar, or relies on lowbrow appeal.
Means 'vulgar' or 'crude', often used for lowbrow jokes or behavior.
I'm fed up with his lowbrow jokes.
Also used for vulgar or lowbrow humor, similar to 下品 but slightly more formal.
A colloquial and emphatic way to say 'vulgar' or 'lowbrow', often used for humor or content that is offensively crude.
Strongly negative; can sound judgmental.
Please stop with the lowbrow material.
English uses 'lowbrow' as a noun (e.g., 'He's a lowbrow'), but Japanese does not have a direct equivalent. Use phrases like 教養のない人 (uncultured person) or 趣味が低俗な人 (person with vulgar tastes) instead.
Both mean 'vulgar', but 低俗 emphasizes lack of intellectual or cultural value (lowbrow art), while 下品 focuses on crudeness or indecency (lowbrow jokes). 低俗 is more about content level, 下品 about manners or taste.
That museum exhibit was surprisingly lowbrow.
I prefer highbrow literature to lowbrow entertainment.
低級な雑誌はコンビニで売られている。
Lowbrow magazines are sold at convenience stores.
The author's lowbrow style was disliked by critics.
低俗なコメディは視聴率が高い。
Lowbrow comedy gets high ratings.