手ぬるい · i-adjective
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | 手ぬるい | 手ぬるくない |
| Polite | 手ぬるいです | 手ぬるくないですalso 手ぬるくありません |
| Past polite | 手ぬるかったです | 手ぬるくなかったですalso 手ぬるくありませんでした |
| Past | 手ぬるかった | 手ぬるくなかった |
| Te-form | 手ぬるくて | 手ぬるくなくて |
| Adverbial | 手ぬるく | |
| Conditional | 手ぬるければ | 手ぬるくなければ |
| Tara conditional | 手ぬるかったら | 手ぬるくなかったら |
Describes an attitude, measure, or response that is too soft, insufficiently strict, or lacking in rigor. Often carries a critical tone.
His supervision is too lax, so the team lacks a sense of urgency.
そんな手ぬるい対策では問題は解決しない。
Such half-hearted measures won't solve the problem.
Refers to actions or progress that are unacceptably slow or lacking in speed. Often used when criticizing someone's pace.
仕事が手ぬるいと、客から苦情が来る。
If the work is sluggish, we'll get complaints from customers.
彼の手ぬるい対応にいらいらした。
I was irritated by his slow response.