台無し

• Reading: だいなし
• Romaji: dainashi
• Kanji breakdown: 台 (dai) — platform, base | 無し (nashi) — without, none
• Pronunciation: /da.i.na.ɕi/

Meaning

Ruined; spoiled; wasted; destroyed. Describes something rendered completely useless or undone.

A noun used predicatively in the pattern ～が台無しになる (something is ruined/wasted) or ～を台無しにする (to ruin/spoil something). Conveys a strong sense of futility — effort, opportunity, or a prized state being completely negated. Very common in spoken and written Japanese across all registers.

Examples

1. 雨でせっかくの野外ライブが台無しになってしまった。 The rain ruined what was supposed to be a wonderful outdoor concert.
2. 一言の失言が長年かけて築いた信頼を台無しにした。 A single careless remark destroyed the trust that had been built over many years.
3. ここで気を抜けば努力が台無しになると思い、最後まで集中した。 Thinking that letting up now would waste all my effort, I stayed focused until the very end.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, complaints, storytelling, regret

Tone: frustrated

Origin & History

The character 台 (dai) here refers to a stand or platform — something serving as a base or foundation. 無し (nashi) means 'without, none'. The compound evokes the image of having the foundation itself eliminated, leaving nothing to stand on.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal