Translation guide
Describes a person lacking refinement, education, or cultural awareness. Japanese expressions range from direct terms for 'unrefined' to nuanced phrases about social awareness.
Describing a person who is coarse, unsophisticated, or has poor manners.
Describes someone uncouth, boorish, or lacking in sophistication. Often used for people who don't understand social graces or refined tastes.
He asked an uncultured question.
Literally 'lacking in refinement'. Used for someone who is tactless, unrefined, or spoils the atmosphere with crude behavior.
Don't say such uncultured things.
Means 'vulgar' or 'crude'. Stronger than 野暮, often implying low-class or indecent behavior.
I'm fed up with his uncultured jokes.
Means 'rough' or 'boorish'. Emphasizes lack of polish and crude manners, often in a more physical or rustic sense.
His uncultured behavior stands out.
Describing someone who is uneducated, ignorant, or not well-read.
Directly means 'uncultured' in the sense of lacking education or cultural knowledge. Often used for people who haven't been exposed to arts, literature, etc.
He is uncultured but warm-hearted.
Means 'uneducated' or 'illiterate'. Focuses on lack of formal learning or scholarly knowledge.
Means 'ignorant'. Broader than 無教養, often implying lack of knowledge in general, not just cultural.
Describing someone who doesn't understand social norms, is tactless, or lacks worldly experience.
Literally 'not knowing the world'. Describes someone naive, inexperienced, or unsophisticated about society. Often used for sheltered people.
She is uncultured about the ways of the world.
Means 'lacking common sense'. Implies behavior that goes against social norms, often seen as uncultured or rude.
Adjectival form of 野暮, meaning 'uncouth' or 'unrefined'. Often used for appearance or manner that lacks sophistication.
野暮 focuses on lack of refinement in social situations or taste, while 無教養 emphasizes lack of education or cultural knowledge. Use 野暮 for someone who doesn't 'get' sophisticated social cues, and 無教養 for someone who hasn't studied arts or literature.
Direct translations like '非文化的' (non-cultural) are not natural in Japanese. Use the terms above depending on the nuance you want to convey.
Even an uncultured person can succeed.
He is uncultured when it comes to art.
I was surprised by his uncultured behavior.
Those clothes look uncultured.