Japanese word

未知

Pronunciation

Romajimichi

Meaning

noununknown

Example

新しい星の正体はまだ未知のままです。atara shi i hoshi no shō tai wa ma da mi chi no ma ma de su

The nature of the new star is still unknown.

More examples

新しい技術には、まだ未知の部分が多く残っています。atara shi i gi jutsu ni wa ma da mi chi no bu bun ga ō ku noko tte i ma su

There are still many unknown aspects of the new technology.

Core concept

Frames something as beyond current knowledge or experience while leaving open the possibility of learning about it later.

Common phrases

未知の可能性mi chi no ka nō sei
unexplored possibilities
未知の領域mi chi no ryō iki
uncharted territory
未知の世界mi chi no se kai
an unfamiliar world
未知の原因mi chi no gen in
an unidentified cause
未知の分野mi chi no bun ya
an unfamiliar field

Similar words

不明fumei: A lack of confirmed knowledge about facts, details, or circumstances.
未詳mishō: A lack of established information about the identity or details of something.
未知数michisū: Something whose character, size, or future result cannot yet be determined.

Definition in Japanese

知識や経験が及ばず、まだ明らかになっていないこと。chi shiki ya kei ken ga oyo ba zu ma da aki ra ka ni na tte i na i ko to

Word origin

未知 (michi) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 未 (mi, "not yet") and 知 (chi, "know"), with the two characters forming the sense of the not-yet-known.

Usage tips

In Japanese, 未知 (michi) often describes a frontier of research, travel, or personal experience rather than a simple lack of information about a familiar fact.

Other meanings

unfamiliarnoun
unexplorednoun

Opposites

既知kichiknownnoun