Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

下手くそ (hetakuso) Japanese meaning: unskilled | Kotomora

下手へたくそ

へ

た

く

そ

○

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

unskilled; clumsy; lousy; poor; awkward; shitty

usually written using kana alonederogatory

Derogatory term for lack of skill or poor performance; often used in casual, blunt, or self-deprecating speech. Stronger than 下手.

彼かれは歌うたが下手へたくそだ。

He's terrible at singing.

下手へたくそな字じでごめん。

Sorry for my crappy handwriting.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉〉が下手へたくそだto be terrible at something
彼かれは歌うたが下手へたくそだ。
He's a terrible singer.
下手へたくそな〈物もの〉〉a lousy/awful (thing, e.g. drawing, cooking)
これは下手へたくそな絵えだね。
This is a terrible drawing.
〈動詞どうし〉〉のが下手へたくそto be bad at doing (some action)
彼かれは運うん転てんするのが下手へたくそだ。
He's a terrible driver.

Kanji

下below, down, descend
手hand
糞shit, feces, excrement

Related words

下手へたN5
下手 is the neutral, everyday word for 'unskilled', while 下手くそ adds a blunt, derogatory kick to the same idea.
不ぶ器き用ようN3
不器用 describes physical clumsiness or lack of dexterity, whereas 下手くそ is a harsher put-down of overall skill in any activity.

Opposites

上手じょうずN5
上手 means skilled or good at something, the direct opposite of the derogatory 下手くそ.
うまいN4
上手い is a casual way to say someone is skilled or good at something, contrasting with the insulting 下手くそ.

Written forms

下手へたくそUsage38%
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling; high priority.
へたくそUsage35%
Kana spelling is very common and matches usual-kana usage.
ヘタクソUsage14%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used for emphasis or in casual writing.
下手へた糞くそUsage13%
Full kanji spelling; less common and may appear in older or more emphatic contexts.

Etymology

Compound of 下手 (へた, 'unskilled') and 糞 (くそ, 'excrement'), used as an intensifying pejorative suffix.