Translation guide
Describes something that is uneven in quality, coverage, or consistency, like a surface with patches.
Describing something that is good in parts but bad in others, inconsistent.
Literally 'there is unevenness'. The most common and natural way to say something is patchy in quality or performance.
彼の成績はむらがある。
His grades are patchy.
Means 'mottled' or 'patchy', often used for colors or patterns, but can metaphorically describe unevenness.
霧がまだらにかかっている。
The fog is patchy.
Kanji for まだら, used in written or technical contexts.
斑状の脱毛
patchy hair loss
Describing something that does not cover an area fully, like patchy fog or patchy knowledge.
むらがある is used for abstract unevenness like performance or quality. まだら is more visual, describing spots or patches of color, light, or texture.
Means 'here and there', implying scattered or patchy distribution.
ところどころに雪が残っている。
There is patchy snow remaining.
Literally 'mottled pattern', used for visual patchiness.
壁のペンキがまだら模様になっている。
The wall paint is patchy.
Means 'fragmentary', used for patchy information or knowledge.
彼の記憶は断片的だ。
His memory is patchy.