うっかりした

• Reading: うっかりした
• Romaji: ukkarishita
• Pronunciation: /ɯk.ka.ɾi.ɕi.ta/

Meaning

Careless; absent-minded; inadvertent. Describes a lapse in attention or a mistake made through inattention rather than malice.

The past/adjectival form of うっかりする (to be careless, to slip up). Used attributively before nouns (うっかりしたミス — a careless mistake) or predicatively. The adverb うっかり is extremely common in speech: うっかり忘れた (I carelessly forgot). Tone is often mild or self-deprecating; it does not usually imply serious negligence.

Examples

1. うっかりした返信でクライアントを怒らせてしまい、上司に謝りに行った。 A careless reply angered the client, and I had to go and apologise on behalf of my boss.
2. 彼のうっかりしたミスのせいで、プロジェクト全体が遅延した。 His careless mistake caused a delay across the entire project.
3. うっかりした性格だとは思うが、肝心な場面では必ず頼りになる人だ。 I know he has an absent-minded streak, but when it really counts, he always comes through.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, daily life, self-deprecation, criticism

Tone: mild

Origin & History

Derived from the adverb うっかり, of uncertain etymology, likely onomatopoeic in origin. The する verb form transforms it into an adjective via the past participial construction.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal