Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 低能者 | teinōsha | |
| 間抜け | manuke | [ma̠nɯ̟ke̞] (narrow) |
| 頓痴気 | tonchiki | [tõ̞ɲ̟t͡ɕikʲi] (narrow) |
In a psychological context, the term refers to a person of mild mental subnormality. However, because it uses clinical terminology regarding low intelligence, 低能者 is extremely offensive and carries a heavy social stigma in modern Japanese society. Other common terms include バカ (or 馬鹿), which means fool or idiot and アホ, which is also an informal way to say moron.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 低能者 is composed of the characters 低 (low), 能 (ability) and 者 (person), literally meaning 'low-ability person'.
Which one should you use?
While 低能者 refers to a person's perceived mental capacity, 間抜け is more commonly used to describe someone being 'clueless' or 'absent-minded' in a specific moment.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal settings such as written literature or formal speeches, you might encounter the term 愚か者. In casual conversation, 馬鹿 is the most common term for moron, while アホ is an informal alternative. 頓痴気 is a more old-fashioned, colloquial way to call someone a fool or a simpleton compared to the clinical-sounding 低能者.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression アホ is more common in certain regions of Japan.
How do you pronounce it?
teinōsha
Did you know?
- In many parts of Japan, particularly Osaka, the word アホ can actually be used affectionately between friends, whereas in Tokyo it might be perceived as more purely insulting.
- If you call someone an 愚か者, you are using a much more dramatic, literary style of Japanese that sounds like something from a historical epic or a serious novel.
- The term 頓痴気 is rarely used by young people and is primarily associated with the speech patterns of elderly people or period dramas.
Examples in context
- 彼は本当にバカだ。He is truly a moron.
- 友達の間では、軽く「アホ」って言い合って遊んでいます。Among friends, we playfully call each other "aho" from time to time.
- 彼は低能者だと侮辱された。Kare wa teinou-sha da to bujoku sareta.He was insulted as being a moron.
- あんな低能者に任せられない。Anna teinou-sha ni makasera nai.I can't leave it to such a moron.
- 低能者と決めつけるのは良くない。Teinou-sha to kimetsukeru no wa yokunai.It is not good to label someone a moron.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are discussing an old medical textbook.
- 蓮 Renこの本に低能者という言葉があるよ。Kono hon ni teinousha to iu kotoba ga aru yo.This book has the word 'moron' in it.
- 美咲 Misaki今はもう使わない言葉だよね。Ima wa mou tsukawanai kotoba da yo ne.That's a word people don't use anymore, right?
- 蓮 Renああ、今の時代には不適切だ。Aa, ima no jidai ni wa futekisetsu da.Yeah, it's inappropriate for this day and age.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に時代が変わったね。Hontou ni jidai ga kawatta ne.Times really have changed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moron” translations and entries 間抜け, 頓痴気, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
