無駄 (muda) means “waste” | MotiTan Japanese Dictionary

More examples

その計画は無駄になりました。so no kei kaku wa mu da ni na ri ma shi ta

That plan went to waste.

Marks an action or expenditure as lacking a worthwhile purpose or result.

浪費rōhi: The use of time, money, or other resources without a useful result.
無駄遣いmudazukai: The careless use of money or other resources.

使った労力や資源が役立たず、価値を生まないこと。tsuka tta rō ryoku ya shi gen ga yaku da ta zu ka chi o u ma na i ko to

The word 無駄 (muda) uses the Sino-Japanese readings of 無 (mu, "without") and 駄 (da, "burden or pack load"), expressing the idea of uselessness.

Japanese speakers often use 無駄 (muda) with resources such as time, money, and food, so the word covers both pointlessness and wasteful use.