Japanese word

むちゃくちゃ

Pronunciation

Romajimuchakucha

Meaning

  • na-adjectivenonsensical

Example

彼の説明はむちゃくちゃです。kare no setsu mei wa mu cha ku cha de su

His explanation is nonsensical.

Illustration for むちゃくちゃ (nonsensical)

More examples

そんなむちゃくちゃな言い訳は通りません。so n na mu cha ku cha na i i wake wa tō ri ma se n

Such an unreasonable excuse will not be accepted.

Core concept

Refers to a state in which ideas or actions lose any reasonable order and become impossible to follow.

Common phrases

  • むちゃくちゃな主張mu cha ku cha na shu chō

    a nonsensical claim

  • むちゃくちゃにするmu cha ku cha ni su ru

    make a mess of

Similar words

支離滅裂shirimetsuretsu: Describes speech or writing that has no clear connection between its parts.
でたらめdetarame: Describes something invented without evidence or carried out without proper thought.
いい加減iikagen: Describes an explanation or task handled without enough care or responsibility.

Definition in Japanese

道理に合わず、話や考えの筋道がひどく乱れているさま。dō ri ni a wa zu hanashi ya kanga e no suji michi ga hi do ku mida re te i ru sa ma

Word origin

The Japanese word むちゃくちゃ (muchakucha, "nonsensical or disorderly") is an emphatic form of むちゃ (mucha, "unreasonable"), while 無茶苦茶 (muchakucha) is an ateji spelling.

Usage tips

  • The word むちゃくちゃ (muchakucha) is especially common in spoken criticism, where it can describe an explanation that jumps between points without forming a sensible whole.

Other meanings

  • messyna-adjective
  • unreasonablena-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • むちゃくちゃさmuchakuchasaabsurditynoun

Word lists with this word