無能（むのう）
JLPT N2 · noun
Pitch accent: heiban (flat) — starts low, then stays high with no drop
Meaning: incompetent
Example sentences
- 失敗を人のせいにするのは無能だ。 — Blaming others for your failures is incompetent.
- 無能と言われないよう努力する。 — He works hard so as not to be called incompetent.
Idioms & proverbs containing “無能”
- 無為無能 (むいむのう) — idle and incompetent; accomplishing nothing significant nor being capable of doing so; lacking the talent to do anything but idle away one's time
Antonyms
- 有能 (ゆうのう)
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “無能” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)