疎い

• Reading: うとい
• Romaji: utoi
• Kanji breakdown: 疎 (u/so) — sparse, distant, unfamiliar
• Pronunciation: /ɯ.to.i/

Meaning

Ignorant of; unfamiliar with; out of touch with. Describes a lack of knowledge or connection in a particular domain.

An i-adjective with two related senses: (1) unfamiliar or uninformed about a subject — typically followed by に (に疎い); (2) estranged or distant in a relationship. The first sense is far more common in modern usage. The antonym is 詳しい (well-informed). A near-synonym is 不案内 (unacquainted), which is more formal.

Examples

1. 彼はテクノロジーに疎く、スマートフォンの操作も人に頼りきりだ。 He is out of touch with technology and relies entirely on others even to operate a smartphone.
2. 地元の政治事情に疎い新任記者は、取材のたびに恥をかいた。 The newly assigned reporter, unfamiliar with local political affairs, was embarrassed at every interview.
3. 流行には疎いほうだが、仕事に関する情報は常にアップデートしている。 I tend to be out of touch with trends, but I always keep my knowledge of work-related matters up to date.

Usage Guide

Context: knowledge gaps, workplace, media literacy, self-description

Tone: matter-of-fact

Origin & History

From Old Japanese 疎し (utoushi), meaning distant or sparse. The kanji 疎 depicts scattered, sparse growth — conveying both literal sparseness and figurative unfamiliarity.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal