Usage patterns 手て 先さき が 器き 用よう to be dexterous with one's hands
He's good with his hands and skilled at delicate work.
器き 用よう に 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something skillfully or deftly
She uses chopsticks very skillfully.
口くち が 器き 用よう to be a smooth talker; glib
He's a smooth talker and always manages to talk his way out of things.
Kanji 器 utensil, vessel, receptacle 用 utilize, business, service Related words· 6 上手 is a general word for being good at something, while 器用 specifically highlights manual dexterity or clever handling.
巧み is a more literary word for skillful technique or artistry, whereas 器用 is the everyday word for being good with one's hands.
達者 emphasizes proficiency or mastery, often of a skill or language, while 器用 emphasizes physical dexterity or shrewd handling of tasks.
器用 usually describes being dexterous or handy, while 八丁 specifically points to verbal or practical skillfulness within fixed expressions.
Show 2 more Show fewer 器用 describes manual dexterity or handiness, whereas 巧 covers a broader sense of cleverness and ingenuity, not just hand skill.
器用 emphasizes manual dexterity or being handy with things, while 巧妙 focuses on mental cleverness and the artfulness of a scheme or design.
Don't confuse with 起用 is a homophone of 器用 but means to appoint or make use of someone (e.g. in a role), a completely different meaning.
器用 describes being dexterous or skillful in performing tasks, while 筋がいい describes underlying potential or promise rather than current skill level.
Word family clumsy; awkward; unskillful · incompetent; inept; socially awkward
jack of all trades, master of none
skillful; clever; handy
Written forms 器き 用よう Usage 95%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
きよう Usage 5%
キヨウ Usage <1%
Etymology Composed of 器 (utensil, capacity) and 用 (use, service). The combination suggests having the capacity to use things well, leading to the meanings of dexterity and cleverness. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.
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