みすぼらしい (misuborashii) Japanese meaning: shabby | Kotomora

みすぼらしい

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JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

みすぼらしい · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	みすぼらしい	みすぼらしくない
Polite	みすぼらしいです	みすぼらしくないですalso みすぼらしくありません
Past polite	みすぼらしかったです	みすぼらしくなかったですalso みすぼらしくありませんでした
Past	みすぼらしかった	みすぼらしくなかった
Te-form	みすぼらしくて	みすぼらしくなくて
Adverbial	みすぼらしく
Conditional	みすぼらしければ	みすぼらしくなければ
Tara conditional	みすぼらしかったら	みすぼらしくなかったら

Meanings

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person's appearance, clothing, or a place that looks poor, worn-out, or neglected.

貧ひん相そう
貧相 describes a person's face or build looking poor or meager, while 見すぼらしい more broadly covers clothing, belongings, or places looking worn and neglected.
ぼろい
ぼろい is a casual word emphasizing that something is falling apart or of very low quality, while 見すぼらしい focuses on the poor, neglected appearance itself.
だらしないN3
だらしない criticizes untidy or undisciplined behavior and dress, while 見すぼらしい describes the resulting shabby look regardless of cause.
粗そ末まつN3
粗末 describes something as crude, cheap, or poorly made (often objects or food), while 見すぼらしい specifically describes a shabby, unkempt visual impression.

Show 3 more

安やすっぽいN1
みすぼらしい emphasizes a shabby, poverty-stricken appearance, while 安っぽい focuses on looking or feeling cheap in quality or taste.
卑いやしいN1
みすぼらしい is the everyday word for a shabby, poor-looking appearance, while 卑しい's shabby sense is more literary and can also imply low character.
貧ひん弱じゃくN1
みすぼらしい describes a shabby, poor outward appearance, while 貧弱 can also apply to non-visual things like content or arguments.

立りっ派ぱN4
立派 means splendid or dignified in appearance, the direct opposite of the poor, worn look described by 見すぼらしい.

見み苦ぐるしいN2
見苦しい criticizes an unsightly or disgraceful appearance/behavior in a moral or social sense, whereas 見すぼらしい specifically points to a poor, worn-out look caused by poverty or neglect.

みすぼらしいUsage87%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 見すぼらしい and 見窄らしい are rare.
見みすぼらしいUsage11%
Rare kanji spelling; the kana form is strongly preferred.
見み窄すぼらしいUsage2%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; the kana form is strongly preferred.

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to the verb 見窄る (みすぼる), meaning 'to look shabby', but this is not firmly established.