容量不足

• Reading: ようりょうぶそく
• Romaji: youryou busoku
• Kanji breakdown: 容 (contain) + 量 (amount) → capacity + 不 (not) + 足 (sufficient) → insufficient = not enough storage
• Pronunciation: /joː.ɾjoː.bu.so.ku/

Meaning

Insufficient storage or capacity — not enough space on a device, drive, or cloud account.

A standard compound of 容量 (capacity/storage) and 不足 (insufficient/lacking), this term is the go-to complaint when a phone, computer, or cloud account runs out of space. While not technically slang, it has become an extremely common phrase in daily conversation due to the constant struggle with digital storage limits, especially on smartphones.

Examples

1. 容量不足でアプリのアップデートができない。 I can't update my apps because of insufficient storage.
2. また容量不足の通知来た、もういい加減にして。 I got the 'not enough storage' notification again — give me a break already.
3. 容量不足が深刻すぎてクラウドの有料プランに入った。 My storage situation got so bad that I signed up for a paid cloud plan.

Usage Guide

Context: daily conversation, tech discussion, troubleshooting

Tone: frustrated, matter-of-fact

Do Say

• 容量不足で写真撮れないんだけど。 (I can't take photos because I'm out of storage.)
• 容量不足の通知うざい、何消せばいいの？ (The 'not enough storage' notification is annoying — what should I delete?)

Don't Say

• 容量不足と通信量不足（ギガ不足）は別物 — 前者はストレージ、後者はデータ通信 (Don't confuse storage shortage with data shortage — the former is about device space, the latter about mobile data)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing 容量不足 (storage shortage) with ギガ死 (data exhaustion) — they are different problems

Origin & History

Standard Japanese compound of 容量 (capacity) + 不足 (insufficient). Has been used in technical contexts for decades but became part of everyday vocabulary with smartphones, as users constantly encounter storage warnings.

Cultural Context

Era: 2010s smartphone era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. One of the most common tech complaints in daily life.