不ふ調ちょう

ふ

ちょ

う

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

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

poor condition; not working well; slump

Describes a person, machine, organization, market, or performance being in a bad state or off form. Often used as 不調だ, 不調が続く, or 不調の原因.

最さい近きん、パソコンの動どう作さが不ふ調ちょうだ。
My computer has not been working well lately.
チームは開かい幕まくから不ふ調ちょうが続つづいている。
The team has been in a slump since the start of the season.

noun, na-adjective

failure; breakdown; collapse of talks

Used for an attempt, deal, negotiation, auction, or similar process ending unsuccessfully. The common pattern is 不調に終わる.

価か格かくをめぐる交こう渉しょうは不ふ調ちょうに終おわった。
The price negotiations ended in failure.
入にゅう札さつは参さん加か者しゃが少すくなく、不ふ調ちょうだった。
The bidding was unsuccessful because there were few participants.

See all 28 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が不ふ調ちょうに陥おちいるfor someone to fall into a slump or poor condition
彼かれは最さい近きん不ふ調ちょうに陥おちいっている。
He's been in a slump lately.
〈事こと〉が不ふ調ちょうに終おわるfor negotiations or an attempt to end in failure
交こう渉しょうは不ふ調ちょうに終おわった。
The negotiations ended in failure.
〈物もの〉が不ふ調ちょうを起おこすfor a machine to develop a malfunction
エンジンが不ふ調ちょうを起おこした。
The engine started acting up.
不ふ調ちょうから立たて直なおすto recover from a slump
彼かの女じょは不ふ調ちょうから立たて直なおし、優ゆう勝しょうした。
She pulled out of her slump and won the championship.

Kanji

不negative, non-, bad
調tune, tone, meter

Related words· 6

不ふ振しんN1sense 1
不振 usually refers narrowly to poor results or performance (sales, sports), while 不調 more broadly covers physical, mechanical, or organizational bad condition.
決けつ裂れつ sense 2
決裂 describes talks breaking down completely and often permanently, while 不調 can mean talks simply failed to reach agreement this time.
失しっ調ちょうN1
不調 refers to a temporary poor condition or slump, while 失調 implies a deeper breakdown of coordination or balance.
低てい調ちょう
不調 implies a poor condition or malfunction, often used for health or machine trouble, while 低調 focuses on low activity or lack of energy rather than a breakdown.

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乱らん調ちょう
不調 simply means being in poor condition or not doing well, while 乱調 suggests a more visibly disorderly or erratic breakdown of rhythm or control.
スランプ
不調 broadly means being in poor condition (physical, mental, or performance-related), while スランプ specifically implies a prolonged dip in skill or motivation after a period of doing well.

Opposites· 6

好こう調ちょうN1sense 1
好調 describes being in good condition or performing well, the direct opposite of 不調's poor condition or slump.
順じゅん調ちょうN3
順調 means things are going well, while 不調 means the opposite: poor condition, as with health, machines, or business.
本ほん調ちょう子し
不調 means being in poor condition or out of sorts, the direct opposite of 本調子's meaning of normal, healthy condition.

Show 3 more

快かい調ちょう
不調 describes being in poor condition or not going well, the direct opposite of 快調.
復ふく調ちょう
不調 describes being in a slump or bad condition, the direct opposite of 復調's return to good form.
絶ぜっ好こう調ちょう
不調 simply means 'in poor form/not going well', a milder opposite compared to the emphatic 絶好調.

Don't confuse with

故こ障しょうN5sense 1
故障 means an actual breakdown or malfunction that has already occurred, while 不調 can describe a milder state of not working well without full failure.

Word family

不ふ調ちょう和わ
disharmony; discord; dissonance; incongruity
絶ぜつ不ふ調ちょう
very bad condition; terrible form; serious slump
四し大だい不ふ調ちょう
illness (of a monk); falling ill
メンタル不ふ調ちょう
mental health issues; emotional distress

Etymology

Sino-Japanese compound of 不, meaning 'not' or 'un-', and 調, associated with condition, tone, or adjustment; together it denotes a state that is not in good order.