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ダメ人間 (だめにんげん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
useless person ; hopeless case ; failure
Colloquial, often self-deprecating or humorous term for someone who is seen as incapable, lazy, or a burden on society. Can be used seriously or jokingly.
休きゅう 日じつ は 一いち 日にち 中じゅう 寝ね て ばかり の ダメ 人にん 間げん です 。
On my days off, I'm a useless person who just sleeps all day.
Written forms ダメ 人にん 間げん
Most common spelling; ダメ is usually written in katakana for this compound.
駄だ 目め 人にん 間げん
Kanji spelling for ダメ; less common but still seen.
Kanji 駄 burdensome, pack horse, horse load Similar words 役やく 立た たず More directly 'useless' or 'good-for-nothing', often referring to a specific task or role, while ダメ人間 is a broader label for a person's character or lifestyle.
ダメ 男おとこ Specifically a 'useless man', often in a romantic context; ダメ人間 is gender-neutral and more general.
Etymology Compound of ダメ (dame, 'no good, useless') and 人間 (ningen, 'human being'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely emerged in colloquial Japanese as a humorous or critical label.
