Translation guide
How to describe something of low quality in Japanese, from everyday items to abstract concepts.
Describing something as poorly made, inferior, or not good.
Common word for something crude, shoddy, or of poor quality. Often used for objects, meals, or living conditions.
I'm sorry for the poor-quality meal.
This desk is poorly made.
Literally 'quality is bad'. A straightforward, widely used phrase for poor quality.
This product is of poor quality.
I don't buy clothes from that store because they're poor quality.
Formal term for low quality, often used in technical or business contexts.
Low-quality materials are being used.
Polite/humble version of 粗末, often used self-deprecatingly about one's own work or offering.
It's a poor-quality gift, but please accept it.
Emphasizing that something is not only low quality but also cheaply made or flimsy.
Describes something that looks or feels cheap, tacky, or of low quality. Often used for appearance.
This bag looks cheap/poor-quality.
Colloquial word for flimsy, shoddy, or poorly made. Slightly negative nuance.
Formal term for inferior or shoddy quality, often used in product descriptions or complaints.
Describing something that functions poorly or is of low standard, like work or skills.
Unskillful, poor at doing something. Used for people's abilities or the quality of a performance.
He is a poor driver.
It's a poor-quality drawing, but I like it.
Literally 'quality is low'. Used for work, services, or content.
This report is of poor quality.
Clumsy, poor, or unrefined. Often used humbly about one's own work or speech.
Comparing something to a standard and finding it lacking.
The English word 'poor' can mean 'not rich' (貧しい) or 'low quality'. Do not use 貧しい for quality; it refers to poverty.
poor quality (incorrect)
Cheap accessories break easily.
It's shoddily made, isn't it?
I was sold a shoddy product.
拙い説明で申し訳ありません。
I apologize for my poor explanation.