Translation guide
Describes something that is unpleasant to look at, often due to being messy, unattractive, or out of place. Japanese expressions vary by nuance: physical ugliness, disorder, or social impropriety.
To describe a person, object, or scene that is simply not pleasing to the eye.
The most direct and common word for 'ugly' or 'unsightly'. Can refer to physical appearance, behavior, or abstract things. Strongly negative.
That building is very unsightly.
Literally 'hard to look at'. Often used for something that is unpleasant to see due to being messy, indecent, or inappropriate, rather than just physically ugly.
His way of eating is unsightly.
Colloquial and somewhat blunt word for 'ugly' or 'clumsy-looking', often used for faces or objects. Can be insulting.
That dog is unsightly but cute.
To describe a place or thing that looks bad because it is untidy or disorganized.
Again, 'hard to look at' due to messiness. Commonly used for rooms, desks, or personal appearance.
The room is so messy it's unsightly.
Means 'sloppy', 'untidy', or 'slovenly'. Often used for personal habits or appearance, but can describe a messy space.
Formal word for 'disorderly' or 'cluttered'. Often used in written descriptions of rooms or documents.
To describe behavior or a situation that is awkward, shameful, or makes others uncomfortable to see.
Extends to behavior that is disgraceful or embarrassing to watch, like a public argument or poor sportsmanship.
That couple's fight was unsightly.
Means 'shameful', 'disgraceful', or 'unbecoming'. Focuses on the social embarrassment of the appearance or action.
A noun meaning 'disgraceful behavior' or 'scandalous scene'. Used for public displays of shame.
To describe something that looks bad because it is soiled, worn, or marred.
見苦しい (migurushii) focuses on the unpleasantness of looking at something, often due to messiness, impropriety, or disorder. 醜い (minikui) is a stronger, more direct word for 'ugly', often implying a deeper aesthetic or moral judgment. Use 見苦しい for temporary or situational unsightliness, and 醜い for inherent ugliness.
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'unsightly'. Direct translations like '見苦しい' work in many cases, but for physical ugliness, '醜い' is more natural. For social embarrassment, 'みっともない' is often better. Choose based on the specific nuance.
彼の服装はいつもだらしない。
His clothes are always unsightly.
机の上が乱雑で、見苦しい。
The top of the desk is cluttered and unsightly.
Going out looking like that is unsightly.
彼は酔って醜態をさらした。
He got drunk and made an unsightly scene.
The carpet is stained and unsightly.