Japanese word

不安定

Pronunciation

Romajifuantei

Meaning

  • na-adjectiveunstable

Example

最近、天気が不安定です。sai kin ten ki ga fu an tei de su

The weather has been unstable lately.

Illustration for 不安定 (unstable)

More examples

経済が不安定になると、生活への不安が大きくなります。kei zai ga fu an tei ni na ru to sei katsu e no fu an ga ō ki ku na ri ma su

When the economy becomes unstable, worries about daily life grow.

Core concept

Describes something that lacks steadiness and is liable to shift from its present condition.

Common phrases

  • 不安定な天気fu an tei na ten ki

    unstable weather

  • 不安定な状態fu an tei na jō tai

    an unstable state

  • 不安定な関係fu an tei na kan kei

    an unstable relationship

Similar words

不確かfutashika: Not certain or reliable, with the outcome or state still unclear.
不確実fukakujitsu: Not certain to happen or be true, so the result cannot be firmly predicted.
不確定fukakutei: Not fixed or decided, with its final state still undetermined.

Definition in Japanese

物事が落ち着いておらず、変化や揺れが続くさま。mono goto ga o chi tsu i te o ra zu hen ka ya yu re ga tsuzu ku sa ma

Word origin

不安定 (fuantei, "instability") is formed from 不 (fu, "not") and 安定 (antei, "stability"), so the compound denotes the absence of stability.

Usage tips

  • 不安定 (fuantei) can describe weather, political conditions, emotions, or a connection, so it applies to many kinds of changing situations.

Opposites

Related words

  • 不安定さfuanteisainstabilitynoun

Word lists with this word