退屈な
taikutsu-na
The Japanese word for boring is 退屈な (taikutsu-na). Wiktionary also lists うんざりさせた (unzari-saseta).
Meaning: causing boredom or tiredness (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 退屈な | taikutsu-na |
| うんざりさせた | unzari-saseta |
退屈な is typically used to describe things, events or situations that lack stimulation, such as a movie or a lecture.
Which one should you use?
Use 退屈な to describe something that causes boredom, whereas the noun 退屈 refers to the state of boredom itself. If you want to say you are fed up or disgusted by something repetitive, use うんざり instead of implying a simple lack of interest. Additionally, if you want to describe a situation or task that is dull, bothersome or requires too much effort, you might use the informal term めんどくさい.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the feeling of being bored (the person's actual state of being), use the verb form 退屈する.
How do you pronounce it?
taikutsu-na
Did you know?
- The kanji for 退屈 consists of characters meaning 'retreat' and 'exhaustion'. It describes a state where one's spirit has retreated because there is nothing to stimulate it.
- In modern slang, young people often use the word 暇 (hima), meaning 'free time', to signal that they are bored and want someone to entertain them.
- Unlike the English word 'boring', which can be used as a joke to describe a person's personality, 退屈な is almost never used to describe a person's character.
Examples in context
- 彼の退屈な話にはいらいらする。I get irritated at his boring stories.This sentence shows how to describe a boring story using 退屈な.Tatoeba #2256980 by tommy_san, translation #10109449 by deltadave
- こんな退屈な生活には我慢できない。I can't settle for this boring life.This sentence uses 退屈な to describe a boring life.Tatoeba #160683 by KK_kaku_, translation #253837 by CK
- 彼は退屈な夜を過ごさざるを得なかった。He resigned himself to spending a boring evening.This sentence uses 退屈な to describe a boring evening.Tatoeba #102508 by bunbuku, translation #301186 by CM
- 映画、つまらなかった。The movie was boring.
- 私の話、つまらない？Is my story boring?
- 会議は退屈でした。The meeting was boring.
- 教科書の内容が退屈だ。The textbook content is tedious.
- 旅行の準備はめんどくさいな。Preparing for the trip is tiresome.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are at a slow-paced museum.
- 結衣 Yuiここは少し退屈な場所だね。Koko wa sukoshi taikutsu na basho da ne.This is a bit of a boring place, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaそうだね。あまり面白くないよ。Sou da ne. Amari omoshirokunai yo.Yeah. It's not very interesting.
- 結衣 Yuiもう外に出ない？Mou soto ni denai?Shall we go outside already?
- 健太 Kenta賛成。どこかへ行こう。Sansei. Dokoka e ikou.I agree. Let's go somewhere.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boring” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
