不当

• Reading: ふとう
• Romaji: futō
• Kanji breakdown: 不 (fu) — not, un-; 当 (tō) — proper, appropriate, right
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.to.ɯ/

Meaning

Unfair; unjust; unreasonable. An action or treatment that violates principles of fairness or propriety.

A na-adjective and noun used to condemn actions lacking fairness or justification: 不当な解雇 (unfair dismissal), 不当な扱い (unjust treatment). Stronger than 不公平 (fukōhei, unfair/unequal) — 不当 implies the action is not merely uneven but fundamentally wrong and unjustifiable. Often appears in compound phrases like 不当利得 (unjust enrichment) and 不当表示 (false labelling).

Examples

1. 不当な価格で商品を販売する業者が摘発された。 A vendor selling products at unfair prices was busted.
2. 彼女は不当解雇を理由に会社を訴えた。 She sued the company on grounds of wrongful termination.
3. 不当な要求には断固として断るべきだ。 Unreasonable demands should be firmly turned down.

Usage Guide

Context: law, labour, ethics

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 不 (fu, not) + 当 (tō, proper/appropriate/right). Literally 'not proper' — failing to meet the standard of what is right.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal