Translation guide
Describes being completely without clothes. Japanese uses different expressions depending on nuance: literal nudity, emphasis, or idiomatic phrases.
To say someone is wearing no clothes at all.
The most direct and common word for 'completely naked'. Used in both casual and formal contexts.
To describe a situation where someone has no protection, secrets, or resources.
The English phrase 'stark naked' is often used for emphasis. In Japanese, simply saying 裸 (はだか) usually means 'naked', but to convey the intensity of 'stark naked', use 全裸 or 素っ裸. Do not try to translate 'stark' separately.
彼は全裸で部屋に入ってきた。
He came into the room stark naked.
Emphatic, colloquial way to say 'stark naked'. Often used in spoken Japanese.
The kids are playing in the river stark naked.
Literally 'round naked', meaning completely naked. Slightly more emphatic than 全裸.
The thief was stripped stark naked and thrown outside.
Emphatic, colloquial. Similar to 素っ裸 but can sound slightly more childish or regional.
It feels good to run around stark naked.
Used figuratively to mean 'completely exposed' or 'stripped of everything', e.g., financially or emotionally.
I was left stark naked after the divorce (financially ruined).
Idiom meaning 'with nothing but one's bare hands', often used when starting from scratch.
He built a large company from stark naked beginnings.