Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Bad" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "bad", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
不良
ふりょう (furyō)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
不作
ふさく (fusaku)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "bad" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 不良 and 不作.
In Japanese, 不良 (ふりょう (furyō)) is typically associated with "bad, poor (quality); delinquent (person); defect" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Can be a noun meaning a defect or a delinquent person.
On the other hand, 不作 (ふさく (fusaku)) maps to "bad harvest, crop failure" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents 主に農業において、作物の収穫が少ないことや全くできないことを指します。比喩的に、成果が上がらない期間を指すこともあります。. A literal translation of "bad" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "不良"
この製品には不良がありました。
This product had a defect.
Bilingual Context for "不作"
今年は雨が少なかったので、米が不作だった。
This year, there was little rain, so the rice harvest was poor.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この製品には ＿＿＿ がありました。" (Meaning: "This product had a defect.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "不良" fits here because it means "bad, poor (quality); delinquent (person); defect" in the context of: "This product had a defect.". "不作" represents "bad harvest, crop failure".