拙せつ劣れつ

せ

つ

れ

つ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

A somewhat formal or literary word for lack of skill or poor workmanship. Often used in self-deprecating expressions or critical evaluations of technique.

彼かれの絵えは拙せつ劣れつだが、味あじがある。
His painting is clumsy, but it has charm.
拙せつ劣れつな文ぶん章しょうで申もうし訳わけありません。
I apologize for my poorly written sentences.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉が拙せつ劣れつだsomething is clumsy/poorly done
彼かれの文ぶん章しょうは拙せつ劣れつだった。
His writing was clumsily done.
拙せつ劣れつな〈物もの〉a clumsy/poorly executed (thing)
拙せつ劣れつな演えん技ぎに観かん客きゃくはがっかりした。
The audience was disappointed by the clumsy acting.

Kanji

拙bungling, clumsy, unskillful
劣inferiority, be inferior to, be worse

Related words

下手へたN5
下手 is the common, everyday word for being unskillful, while 拙劣 is a more formal, literary term often applied to the quality of work rather than a person's ability.
拙つたない
拙い is often used for speech, writing, or social skills and can carry a humble tone, whereas 拙劣 stresses crude, technically deficient workmanship.
稚ち拙せつ
稚拙 emphasizes a childish, immature clumsiness, while 拙劣 simply denotes poor skill or execution without implying youthfulness.

Opposites

巧たくみN1
巧み describes skillful, adept execution, the direct opposite of the clumsy, poorly done quality expressed by 拙劣.

Don't confuse with

拙せっ速そく
拙速 describes work that is fast but rough, whereas 拙劣 describes work that is simply poor or clumsy regardless of speed.
巧こう拙せつ
拙劣 shares the kanji 拙 with 巧拙 but means only 'clumsy/poor', while 巧拙 is a neutral noun covering both good and bad skill.

Etymology

Compound of 拙 (clumsy, poor) and 劣 (inferior, poor). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination transparently conveys 'clumsy and inferior'.