不器用

• Reading: ぶきよう
• Romaji: bukiyō
• Kanji breakdown: 不 (bu) — negation; 器用 (kiyō) — dexterous, skillful
• Pronunciation: /bɯkijoː/

Meaning

Clumsy; unskilled; awkward. Lacking dexterity with hands or finesse in social and emotional situations.

A na-adjective covering both physical clumsiness (手先が不器用 — clumsy with one's hands) and interpersonal awkwardness (感情表現が不器用 — clumsy at expressing feelings). In Japanese culture, being 不器用 is often viewed sympathetically — the 不器用な人 is seen as earnest but simply lacking the knack, rather than lazy or careless.

Examples

1. 手先が不器用なので、細かい作業がいつまでも上達しない。 I'm so clumsy with my hands that I can never improve at detailed work.
2. 不器用ながらも一生懸命に取り組む姿が周囲から評価された。 Despite being awkward, his earnest effort was appreciated by those around him.
3. 彼は感情表現が不器用で、愛情を素直に伝えるのが苦手だ。 He's so clumsy at expressing emotions that he struggles to convey his feelings honestly.

Usage Guide

Context: personality, crafts, relationships, work

Tone: sympathetic

Origin & History

Compound of 不 (not) and 器用 (dexterous, skillful, adroit). 器用 itself means facility with tools or situations; its negation 不器用 covers both the manual and the social dimension of lacking that facility.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal