Translation guide
Describes a situation, position, or condition that is dangerously unstable, uncertain, or likely to fail. Japanese uses different words depending on whether the focus is on physical instability, uncertainty, danger, or a delicate balance.
Describing a physical position, structure, or situation that is not secure and could easily give way.
Commonly used for situations that are on the verge of becoming dangerous or failing. Can describe physical precariousness or a close call.
Standing on the edge of the cliff is precarious.
His position is precarious.
Literally 'unstable'. Used for physical instability, like a wobbly ladder or an unsteady structure. Also used for abstract instability (e.g., mental state, economy).
That ladder is precarious.
Colloquial and slightly emphatic, implying something looks dangerously unstable or unreliable. Often used when watching someone do something risky.
That stack looks precarious, doesn't it?
Describing a situation, plan, or condition that is not secure and could easily change for the worse.
Means 'uncertain' or 'unreliable'. Used when the outcome or stability of something is in doubt.
His future is precarious.
Means 'unreliable' or 'not to be counted on'. Used for things or people that cannot be depended upon.
The weather forecast is precarious (unreliable).
Describing a situation where a small change could lead to success or failure, safety or danger.
Literally 'paper-thin difference'. Used when there is a very fine line between two outcomes, often success and failure, or safety and danger.
Success and failure are precariously balanced.
Means 'just barely' or 'by a narrow margin'. Often used to describe a precarious situation where something is just barely holding on or just barely achieved.
Literally 'tightrope walking'. Metaphor for a precarious, risky situation that requires careful balancing.
Emphasizing the danger or risk involved in a situation.
危うい (ayaui) implies imminent danger or a close call, often with a sense of 'almost' failing. 不安定 (fuantei) is more neutral and describes a lack of stability, physical or abstract. 不確か (futashika) focuses on uncertainty or unreliability of information or outcomes.
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'precarious'. Avoid direct translations like 不安定な for all contexts; choose based on the specific nuance (danger, uncertainty, balance).
That information is precarious (unreliable).
Expresses a feeling of unease or lack of confidence about something's reliability or sufficiency. Often used for things that seem barely enough or worryingly uncertain.
Living on his income is precarious.
ぎりぎりのところで助かった。
I was saved in a precarious situation (just barely).
He lives a precarious life (just scraping by).
His life is like a precarious tightrope walk.
そんなことをするのは危ないよ。
Doing that is precarious (dangerous).