不ふ備び

ふ

び

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun, na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Used for something that is lacking, incomplete, or not fully prepared, often in formal contexts such as documents, systems, or preparations.

提てい出しゅつ書

しょ

類るい

に

不ふ

備び

が

あっ

た

ため

、

受う

け

付つ

け

て

もらえ

なかっ

た

。

The submitted documents had deficiencies, so they were not accepted.

計けい画かくにはまだ不ふ備びな点てんが多おおい。

The plan still has many incomplete points.

2

expression

Yours in haste

Archaic valediction used at the end of a letter, similar to 'Yours in haste' or 'Written in haste, forgive omissions'. Not used in modern correspondence.

古ふるい手て紙がみの末まつ尾びに「不ふ備び」とだけ書かかれていることがある。
At the end of old letters, you sometimes see just '不備' written.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉に不ふ備びがあるthere is a deficiency/defect in something
提てい出しゅつした申しん請せい書しょに不ふ備びがあった。
There was a deficiency in the application form I submitted.
不ふ備びを指し摘てきするto point out a deficiency
上じょう司しは報ほう告こく書しょの不ふ備びを指し摘てきした。
My boss pointed out the deficiencies in the report.
不ふ備びを修しゅう正せいするto correct a deficiency
不ふ備びを修しゅう正せいして再さい提てい出しゅつしてください。
Please correct the deficiencies and resubmit it.
不ふ備びなく〈動どう詞し〉to do something without any omissions or deficiencies
書しょ類るいを不ふ備びなく提てい出しゅつすることが求もとめられる。
You are required to submit the documents without any omissions.

Kanji

不negative, non-, bad
備equip, provision, preparation

Related words

不ふ足そくN3sense 1
不足 is the everyday word for a shortage or insufficiency, while 不備 specifically points to something incomplete or improperly prepared, often in formal documents or systems.
欠けっ陥かんN2sense 1
欠陥 refers to a concrete flaw or defect, often in a product or system, whereas 不備 can describe more abstract incompleteness such as missing information.
不ふ完かん全ぜんN3sense 1
不完全 broadly means 'incomplete' and can describe anything unfinished, while 不備 more narrowly implies a lack of necessary preparation or requirements.
不ふ十じゅう分ぶんN1
不備 refers to a concrete defect or missing item (often in documents or equipment), while 不十分 more broadly describes insufficient degree or quality.
不ふ具ぐ合あい
不備 means something is incomplete or missing a required element, while 不具合 focuses on something not functioning properly.

Opposites

完かん備び sense 1
完備 means fully equipped or complete, the opposite of 不備's sense of being deficient or incomplete.
万ばん全ぜんN1
不備 means a deficiency or shortcoming in preparation, the opposite of the flawless readiness expressed by 万全.

Don't confuse with

不ふ便べんN5
不便 means 'inconvenient' while 不備 means 'deficient/incomplete'; the similar 不〜 form can mislead learners despite the unrelated meanings.

Counted with

件けんN2sense 1
Individual instances of 不備 (e.g. errors found in a document) are counted with 件, as in 三件の不備.

Etymology

From 不 (fu, 'not') + 備 (bi, 'prepare, equip'), meaning 'not fully prepared' or 'lacking completeness'.