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間抜け (まぬけ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

間ま抜ぬけ

ま

ぬ

け

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

stupid; foolish; idiotic

Describes a person, action, or idea as lacking intelligence or common sense; often carries a derogatory tone.

彼

かれ

の

間ま

抜ぬ

け

な

発はつ

言げん

に

みんな

呆あき

れ

た

。

Everyone was amazed at his stupid remark.

そんな間ま抜ぬけなミスをするなんて信しんじられない。

I can't believe you made such a foolish mistake.

2

fool; idiot; blockhead

Refers to a person who is stupid or slow-witted; used as a derogatory noun.

あいつは本ほん当とうに間ま抜ぬけだな。
That guy is a real idiot.

Usage patterns

間ま抜ぬけな〈人ひと〉a foolish/idiotic person
彼かれは間ま抜ぬけな人ひとだと思おもわれている。
He's thought of as a foolish guy.
間ま抜ぬけなミスをするto make a stupid mistake
また間ま抜ぬけなミスをしてしまった。
I made another stupid mistake.
間ま抜ぬけな顔かおをするto have a blank, foolish look on one's face
彼かれは驚おどろいて間ま抜ぬけな顔かおをした。
He had a dumbfounded look on his face after being surprised.
〈人ひと〉は間ま抜ぬけだsomeone is a fool/idiot
あんな作さく戦せんを立たてるなんて、彼かれは間ま抜ぬけだ。
He's an idiot for coming up with a plan like that.

Kanji

間interval, space
抜slip out, extract, pull out

Related words

ばかN3sense 1
馬鹿 is the all-purpose, most common word for 'idiot' or 'stupid', while 間抜け specifically suggests someone missing the obvious or being slow to notice things.
愚おろかN1sense 1
愚か is a formal, literary word for 'foolish' used in serious writing, whereas 間抜け is casual and often mocking in tone.
アホN1sense 2
阿呆 is a colloquial insult especially common in Kansai speech, while 間抜け focuses more specifically on someone being slow or oblivious rather than just 'dumb'.
のろまN1sense 2
のろま describes someone who is slow-witted or slow-moving, which overlaps with 間抜け's sense of being dull, but 間抜け also covers a single silly action or remark.

Opposites

抜ぬけ目めない sense 1
抜け目ない describes someone sharp and shrewd who never misses a trick, the direct opposite of 間抜け, who misses the obvious.
賢かしこいN3sense 1
賢い means smart or wise in a general sense, contrasting with 間抜け's meaning of foolish or lacking common sense.

Don't confuse with

間ま違ちがいN3
間違い ('mistake') shares the kanji 間 with 間抜け but means an error, not a description of a foolish person or trait.

Word family

間ま抜ぬけ面づら
foolish look; stupid expression

Built from

間ま+抜ぬける

Written forms

間ま抜ぬけUsage60%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
まぬけUsage23%
マヌケUsage18%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used for emphasis or in casual writing.

Etymology

Compound of 間 (ma, 'gap' or 'timing') and 抜け (nuke, 'missing' or 'omission'), literally meaning 'missing the right moment' or 'lacking sense'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since the Edo period to describe someone who is slow-witted or foolish.