欠陥

• Reading: けっかん
• Romaji: kekkan
• Kanji breakdown: 欠 (ketsu) — lack, deficiency; 陥 (kan) — fall into, cave in
• Pronunciation: /ke.kːa.n/

Meaning

Defect; fault; flaw. A serious shortcoming or imperfection in something.

A noun with a somewhat formal or technical tone, often used for serious flaws in products, systems, or designs. Common in compounds like 欠陥品 (kekkanhin, defective product) and 欠陥住宅 (kekkan juutaku, defectively built house). Stronger than 欠点, implying a fundamental problem rather than a minor weakness.

Examples

1. その製品には重大な欠陥が見つかった。 A serious defect was found in that product.
2. 欠陥のある車がリコールされた。 Cars with defects were recalled.
3. このシステムには欠陥があるかもしれない。 There might be a flaw in this system.

Usage Guide

Context: manufacturing, quality control, technology

Tone: serious

Origin & History

Composed of 欠 (lack, deficiency) and 陥 (fall into, cave in). Together they convey the idea of something fundamentally lacking or collapsed, pointing to a structural flaw.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal