Archaic term describing lack of skill or poor quality. Not used in modern everyday speech.
His calligraphy was criticized as clumsy.
Humble first-person pronoun used by men in archaic or highly formal contexts. Extremely rare in modern Japanese.
I will go (humble, archaic).
rough-and-ready; hasty but functional
my book; my humble work
clumsy; unskillful; poorly done
my poor work; my humble creation
quaintly artless; old-fashioned but charming
skill and clumsiness; quality of execution
I, a humble priest; this unworthy monk
my clumsy haiku; my poor haiku
my home; my humble abode
poor defense; poor defence
poor quality; bad; inferior
my humble thoughts; my humble opinion; my humble feelings
poor skill; lack of skill · my humble skill; my poor ability
poor offense; poor attacking play
The character 拙 originally means 'clumsy' or 'unskillful'. Its use as a humble pronoun derives from self-deprecation. The exact historical development is uncertain.