ぬるい

ぬ

る

い

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

ぬるい · i-adjective

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

Describes liquids or objects that are not hot enough, often with a negative nuance of being disappointingly cool.

usually written using kana alone

Used for attitudes, policies, or judgments that are too easygoing or not strict enough. Often carries a critical tone.

〈物もの〉がぬるくなるfor a liquid to go/become lukewarm
お茶ちゃがぬるくなってしまった。
The tea has gone lukewarm.
〈人ひと〉に対たいしてぬるいto be too lenient toward someone
彼かれは部ぶ下かに対たいしてぬるいと言いわれている。
He's said to be too soft on his subordinates.
〈物もの〉をぬるくするto make something (a liquid) lukewarm
赤あかちゃんのためにお湯ゆをぬるくした。
I made the water lukewarm for the baby.
〈事こと〉への対たい応おうがぬるいthe response/handling of a matter is too lax
会かい社しゃの不ふ正せいへの対たい応おうがぬるいと批ひ判はんされた。
The company's response to the misconduct was criticized as too lax.

生なまぬるいN1sense 1
生温い is a stronger, more critical version of ぬるい, often implying something is disappointingly halfhearted as well as lukewarm.
緩ゆるいN3sense 2
緩い is the more common word for 'loose' or 'lenient', while ぬるい in this sense is rarer and usually more critical in tone.

熱あついN5sense 1
熱い describes a liquid or object that is uncomfortably hot, the direct opposite of ぬるい's disappointingly tepid.
厳きびしいN4sense 2
厳しい describes a strict, demanding attitude or policy, the opposite of ぬるい's lax, too-easygoing stance.

温あたたかいN5sense 1
温かい describes a pleasant, comfortable warmth, whereas ぬるい describes a temperature that is unsatisfyingly short of hot.
生なまぬるいN1
温い is simply the kanji spelling of ぬるい (lukewarm temperature only), whereas 生ぬるい adds the 生- prefix to convey criticism of half-heartedness or leniency.

ぬるいUsage100%
Usually written in kana; the kanji form 温い is also used but less common.
温ぬるい
Kanji form for 'lukewarm'; less common than kana. Not used for the 'lenient' sense.

The origin is uncertain, but it is a native Japanese word. The kanji 温 is associated with warmth, while 緩 is associated with looseness or leniency.