人じん畜ちく無む害がい

じ

ん

ち

く

む

が

い

Meanings

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

harmless to humans and animals

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Literal meaning of the yojijukugo; used for substances, chemicals, or creatures that pose no danger to people or livestock.

この農のう薬やくは人じん畜ちく無む害がいだと表ひょう示じされている。
This pesticide is labeled as harmless to humans and animals.

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

harmless; inoffensive; unimportant

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Extended figurative use describing a person or thing that is completely harmless, unthreatening, or of no consequence. Often used self-deprecatingly or to dismiss someone's influence.

彼かれは人じん畜ちく無む害がいなタイプで、誰だれからも好すかれる。
He's the harmless type, liked by everyone.
私わたしなんて人じん畜ちく無む害がいな存そん在ざいですよ。
I'm just a harmless nobody.

Kanji

人person
畜livestock, domestic fowl and animals
無nothingness, none, ain't
害harm, injury

Similar words

無む害がい
無害 simply means 'harmless' in a general sense, while 人畜無害 specifically emphasizes harmlessness to both people and animals, or figuratively, a completely inoffensive nature.

Etymology

Yojijukugo composed of 人 (person), 畜 (livestock/animal), 無 (without), and 害 (harm). The literal meaning is 'no harm to humans or animals.' The figurative sense extends this to mean utterly harmless or inoffensive.