noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective, noun
unworthy; not living up to
Expresses that one falls short of a respected predecessor, parent, or teacher. Often used in formal self-deprecation.
I am an unworthy disciple, and I can only feel ashamed before my teacher's teachings.
Humble first-person pronoun used by men in very formal or self-deprecating speech, often in letters or speeches.
I, unworthy as I am, will be in charge of this meeting.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective, noun
incompetent; unskilled; foolish
Formal self-referential term for one's own lack of ability or poor judgment. Used humbly about oneself, not to describe others.
Though I am an incompetent person, I will do my best.
Archaic meaning; rarely used in modern Japanese outside historical or literary contexts.
In old documents, it is written as 'an unfortunate personal circumstance'.
He was an unworthy son in his father's eyes.
I, Tanaka, will humbly serve as today's moderator.
Though I am unworthy, allow me to offer some guidance.
拙者 is an archaic samurai-era humble pronoun for 'I', while 不肖 is a still-used modern humble pronoun found in formal speeches and letters.
小生 is a humble first-person pronoun men use mainly in letters, roughly matching the formality of 不肖 but slightly less self-deprecating.
私 is the plain, everyday polite word for 'I', while 不肖 is an extremely humble, formal alternative used in speeches or writing.
From Chinese 不肖 (bùxiào), meaning 'unworthy' or 'unfilial'. The Japanese usage retains the self-deprecating nuance, especially in formal and humble contexts.