flaw; defect; malfunction; bug
Broadly used for physical defects, system errors, software bugs, and operational failures. Often appears in technical and business contexts.
There is a malfunction in this computer.
This software still has several bugs.
機械に不具合が生じたため、生産を停止した。
Production was halted because a malfunction occurred in the machine.
Describes a situation or condition that is inconvenient or not working as desired. Less common than the noun sense.
今の住まいは駅から遠くて不具合だ。
My current place is inconvenient because it's far from the station.
システムに不具合が発生した。
A bug occurred in the system.
The engineer fixed the bug.
The user reported the malfunction.
故障 refers to a mechanical breakdown or failure, while 不具合 covers a broader range including software bugs and minor defects.
欠陥 implies an inherent structural flaw, whereas 不具合 can describe a temporary or operational malfunction as well.
バグ is the casual loanword specifically for a software error, while 不具合 is the more formal, general business/technical term.
不備 means something is incomplete or missing a required element, while 不具合 focuses on something not functioning properly.
正常 describes something working correctly, the direct opposite of 不具合, which describes a malfunction or defect.
不都合 means inconvenient or improper circumstances for a person, while 不具合 specifically denotes a defect or malfunction in an object or system.
Compound of 不 (fu, 'not') and 具合 (guai, 'condition, state'). Literally 'not in good condition'.