Japanese word

退屈

Pronunciation

Romajitaikutsu

Meaning

  • na-adjectiveboring

Example

この映画は退屈です。ko no ei ga wa tai kutsu de su

This movie is boring.

Illustration for 退屈 (boring)

More examples

長い会議は退屈でした。naga i kai gi wa tai kutsu de shi ta

The long meeting was boring.

Core concept

Describes a lack of interest that makes an activity or situation feel slow and unrewarding.

Common phrases

  • 退屈な映画tai kutsu na ei ga

    boring movie

  • 退屈な授業tai kutsu na ju gyō

    boring class

  • 退屈な話tai kutsu na hanashi

    boring story

Similar words

単調tanchō: Lacking variety, with the same pattern or activity repeated.
無味乾燥mumikansō: Lacking liveliness or interest, especially in writing, speech, or presentation.
冗長jōchō: Longer than necessary, making an activity, speech, or text tedious.

Definition in Japanese

興味を引くものがなく、面白みを感じられないさま。kyō mi o hi ku mo no ga na ku omo shiro mi o kan ji ra re na i sa ma

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese compound 退屈 (taikutsu) combines 退 (tai, "withdraw") and 屈 (kutsu, "bend"); its older sense of being unable to proceed developed into the sense of having nothing engaging to do.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 退屈だ (taikutsu da) can describe a boring activity or a person's bored state, so context determines whether "boring" or "bored" is the better English translation.

Other meanings

  • dullna-adjective
  • tediousna-adjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 退屈するtaikutsusurufeel boredverb
  • 退屈さtaikutsusaboredomnoun

Word lists with this word