Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
持ち腐れ (もちぐされ, mochigusare) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Report an issue with this page
He has talent but doesn't use it, so it's a treasure going to waste.
I bought an expensive camera, but I hardly use it and it's just sitting there unused.
Expressions 宝たから の 持も ち 腐ぐさ れ pearls before swine; unused treasure; wasted potential Related words 無む 駄だ 無駄 means wastefulness or futility in general, while 持ち腐れ specifically refers to something owned that is not being used.
死し 蔵ぞう 死蔵 means hoarding or keeping something unused and hidden away, similar to 持ち腐れ but with a stronger nuance of deliberate storage.
Written forms 持も ち 腐ぐさ れ Usage 98%
Standard kanji spelling; the word is commonly written in kanji.
もちぐされ Usage 2%
Etymology Compound of 持ち (mochi, 'holding' or 'having') and 腐れ (kusare, 'rotting'). Literally 'holding and rotting', it describes something that is owned but left to decay or go to waste.
