台だい無なし

だ

い

な

し

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

ruined; spoiled; wasted; messed up

Describes something that has been completely ruined, spoiled, or rendered useless, often through carelessness or misfortune. Frequently used in the patterns 台無しになる (become ruined) and 台無しにする (ruin something).

雨あめでピクニックが台

だい

無な

し

に

なっ

た

。

The picnic was ruined by the rain.

彼かれの一ひと言ことで楽たのしい雰ふん囲い気きが台だい無なしになった。

His one remark spoiled the pleasant atmosphere.

せっかくのチャンスを台だい無なしにした。

I wasted a golden opportunity.

Usage patterns

せっかくの〈物もの〉を台だい無なしにするto ruin something that took special effort or care
彼かれの一ひと言ことがせっかくのムードを台だい無なしにした。
His one comment ruined the mood that had been building up nicely.
〈物もの〉が〈事こと〉で台だい無なしになるsomething ends up ruined because of a certain cause
大だい事じな服ふくがコーヒーのシミで台だい無なしになった。
My favorite clothes were ruined by a coffee stain.

Expressions

台だい無なしにするspoil; ruin; mess up
台だい無なしになるbe ruined; be spoiled; come to nothing

Kanji

台pedestal, a stand, counter for machines and vehicles
無nothingness, none, ain't

Related words

だめN5
駄目 is a broad term for 'no good' or 'won't do', while 台無し specifically describes something that has been completely ruined or spoiled.
無む駄だN4
無駄 means 'wasteful' or 'pointless' in a general sense, whereas 台無し emphasizes that something valuable has been ruined beyond repair.

Opposites

完かん璧ぺきN2
完璧 describes something flawless or perfect, the opposite state of 台無し, which describes something ruined or spoiled.

Built from

台だい+なし

Written forms

台だい無なしUsage63%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and common usage.
台だいなしUsage24%
Alternate spelling with kana for 無し; less common but still encountered.
だいなしUsage13%

Etymology

Compound of 台 (stand, base) and 無し (without, lacking). The original meaning was 'without a stand' or 'lacking a foundation', which evolved to mean 'ruined' or 'spoiled'.