拙い

• Reading: つたない
• Romaji: tsutanai
• Kanji breakdown: 拙 (setsu/tsutana) — clumsy, unskillful, poor
• Pronunciation: /tsɯ.ta.na.i/

Meaning

Poor-quality; unskillful; clumsy. Describes something lacking in skill or refinement.

An i-adjective meaning unskillful, crude, or of poor quality. Often used self-deprecatingly to describe one's own abilities — 拙い文章 (my poor writing), 拙い日本語 (my clumsy Japanese). This humble, self-effacing usage is very common in formal settings. Can also objectively describe something poorly made or executed. Conjugates like standard i-adjectives: 拙くない, 拙かった.

Examples

1. 拙い日本語ですが一生懸命伝えようとした。 My Japanese is clumsy, but I tried my best to get the message across.
2. 拙い文章で申し訳ありませんが最後まで読んでください。 I apologize for my poor writing, but please read to the end.
3. 子供の拙い絵が冷蔵庫に貼ってある。 A child's clumsy drawing is stuck to the refrigerator.

Usage Guide

Context: self-introduction, formal writing, speeches

Tone: humble

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 拙 (setsu/tsutana) means 'clumsy' or 'unskillful,' originally contrasted with 巧 (takumi, skillful). Long used in literary and formal contexts for self-deprecation.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated