不ふ真面目まじめ

ふ

ま

じ

め

Meanings

not serious; frivolous; insincere; unsteady

Describes a person, attitude, or behavior that lacks earnestness, commitment, or sincerity. Often used for someone who doesn't take things seriously, is playful when seriousness is expected, or is unreliable.

彼かれは仕し事ごとに不ふ真面目まじめだ。
He is not serious about his work.
不ふ真面目まじめな態たい度どをとると、信しん頼らいを失うしなうよ。
If you take a frivolous attitude, you'll lose trust.

See all 7 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉〉に不真面目ふまじめに取とり組くむto tackle something in a half-hearted, unserious way
彼かれは仕し事ごとに不ふ真面目まじめに取とり組くんでいる。
He approaches his work in a half-hearted way.
不真面目ふまじめな態度たいどをとるto adopt a frivolous or insincere attitude
彼かの女じょは授じゅ業ぎょう中ちゅう、不ふ真面目まじめな態たい度どをとっていた。
She had an unserious attitude during class.
〈事こと〉〉に不真面目ふまじめに答こたえるto answer something in a flippant, unserious way
質しつ問もんに不ふ真面目まじめに答こたえるのはやめてください。
Please stop answering the question flippantly.

Kanji

不negative, non-, bad
真true, reality, Buddhist sect
面mask, face, features
目eye, class, look

Related words

いい加か減げんN2
いい加減 stresses sloppiness and lack of thoroughness, whereas 不真面目 focuses on lacking seriousness or sincerity in attitude.
不ふ誠せい実じつ
不誠実 emphasizes dishonesty or insincerity toward others, while 不真面目 more broadly describes a frivolous or unearnest attitude in general.
適てき当とうN4
適当 (in its negative sense) means careless or perfunctory about how something is done, while 不真面目 describes an underlying lack of seriousness or commitment.

Opposites

真面目まじめN4
真面目 describes a serious, earnest attitude, while 不真面目 describes the opposite lack of seriousness or sincerity.
生真面目きまじめN1
不真面目 means 'insincere' or 'not serious', the direct opposite of the excessive earnestness expressed by 生真面目.

Built from

不ふ+真面目まじめ

Written forms

不ふ真面目まじめUsage75%
Standard kanji spelling.
ふまじめUsage18%
Kana spelling is common in casual writing.
フマジメUsage3%
不ふまじめUsage3%
search-only kanji form

Etymology

Formed by prefixing 不 (fu-, 'not') to 真面目 (majime, 'serious, earnest').