Translation guide
Describes something that lacks meaning, purpose, or significance. Can refer to words, actions, or life itself. Japanese expressions vary by nuance: emptiness, pointlessness, or logical meaninglessness.
To say that something has no meaning, is empty, or without significance.
The most direct and common translation. Used for actions, words, or things that are meaningless or pointless.
Doing that is meaningless.
His words felt meaningless.
A common phrase meaning 'there is no meaning/point'. Slightly more conversational than 無意味.
This argument is meaningless.
Emphasizes emptiness or hollowness, often used for feelings, words, or existence.
a meaningless life
To express that an action or effort is futile, useless, or without purpose.
To describe words, statements, or ideas that are logically meaningless, absurd, or make no sense.
To describe a feeling that life or existence is meaningless, empty, or without purpose.
無意味 (muimi) means 'meaningless' in the sense of lacking significance or sense. 無駄 (muda) means 'useless' or 'futile', focusing on wasted effort or resources. Use 無意味 for abstract meaninglessness and 無駄 for practical pointlessness.
a meaningless discussion
a pointless/wasteful discussion
Avoid directly translating 'meaningless' as 意味がない in all contexts. For existential emptiness, 虚無 or 空しい may be more natural. For futile actions, 無駄 is often better.
彼の試みは徒労に終わった。
His attempt ended in meaningless effort.
The sentence is grammatically correct but meaningless.
Describes speech or writing that is incoherent, disjointed, and meaningless.
His explanation was meaningless (incoherent).
空しい気持ち
a meaningless feeling