Translation guide
Describes a person, process, or system that is hesitant, takes too long to respond, or lacks promptness. Japanese expressions vary based on whether the slowness is due to personality, deliberation, or inefficiency.
Describing someone who is slow to make decisions or take action due to hesitation or lack of initiative.
A common term for indecisiveness; often used as a noun or na-adjective to describe a person who cannot make up their mind.
He is slow to act and can't seem to make a decision.
Literally 'heavy-waisted'; an idiomatic phrase meaning someone is slow to get started or reluctant to take action.
He is slow to act and takes forever to get moving.
An onomatopoeic adverb describing dawdling or procrastinating; often used for someone who is slow to act in a frustrating way.
Stop being so slow to act and make up your mind already.
Literally 'not boiled through'; describes a person who is wishy-washy or unable to take a clear stance.
I get irritated by his slow-to-act, wishy-washy attitude.
Describing a situation where someone or something takes too long to respond or react.
A straightforward phrase meaning 'slow to respond'; used for people, organizations, or systems.
That company is slow to act on customer inquiries.
Literally 'movements are dull'; implies sluggishness in physical or organizational action.
A formal, somewhat literary term for sluggishness or tardiness in action.
Describing a tendency to delay necessary actions, often due to laziness or poor time management.
Noun meaning procrastination or putting things off; often used with する.
He always procrastinates and is slow to act on decisions.
Verb form of the onomatopoeia, meaning to dawdle or waste time.
If you're slow to act, you'll miss your chance.
腰が重い focuses on reluctance to start moving, while 優柔不断 emphasizes inability to decide. A person can be 腰が重い without being indecisive—they may just be lazy or cautious.
He's not indecisive, but he is slow to act.
Direct translations like 行動が遅い are understandable but sound unnatural. Use idiomatic expressions or specific terms depending on the nuance.
The government is slow to act, and countermeasures are delayed.
The organization's slow-to-act response was criticized.