Translation guide
The quality of being skilled or adept at doing something. In Japanese, this concept is often expressed through nouns describing skill level, adjectives for being good at something, or verbs indicating proficiency.
Describing someone's overall skill or competence in a general sense.
A na-adjective meaning 'good at' or 'skillful'. Commonly used to describe someone's ability in a specific area.
He is good at cooking.
A na-adjective meaning 'skillful' or 'clever', often implying dexterity or ingenuity. Slightly more formal than 上手.
I was impressed by his skillful way of speaking.
A noun meaning 'proficiency' or 'expertise' gained through experience. Often used in professional contexts.
We need a skilled engineer.
Referring to physical skillfulness, especially with hands or body.
A na-adjective meaning 'dexterous' or 'handy'. Often used for manual skills or being good with one's hands.
She is dexterous with her hands.
A noun meaning 'skill' or 'knack', often used for the way something is handled efficiently.
Skillfulness in arts, crafts, or creative expression.
A noun meaning 'skill' or 'ability', often used for artistic or performance skills. Implies a level of mastery.
His piano skill is on a professional level.
A formal noun meaning 'skill' or 'ability', often used in artistic or technical contexts.
Being skillful in speaking, negotiating, or handling social situations.
上手 is the most common and general term for being good at something. 巧み implies cleverness or ingenuity, often in technique. 器用 specifically refers to manual dexterity or being handy.
The English noun 'skillfulness' is not commonly used in Japanese as a single noun. Instead, use adjectives like 上手 or nouns like 腕前 depending on context.
彼の手際の良さには驚いた。
I was amazed at his skillfulness.
彼の技量はまだ未熟だ。
His skill is still immature.
Her negotiation skills are first-class.