単純
tanjun
The Japanese word for "naive" is 単純 (tanjun).
単純 is used to describe someone who lacks experience, wisdom or judgement. While it can be used to describe something as simple, when applied to a person, it carries a nuance that the individual is easily fooled or lacks depth. To emphasize that someone's lack of judgment is excessive or problematic, you can add the suffix すぎる to create 単純すぎる, meaning "too naive" or "too simple".
Meaning: lacking experience, wisdom, or judgement (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of characters meaning "simple" or "single" and "pure" or "unmixed".
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use 単純 to modify a noun directly, you must change the stem to the attributive form 単純な.
How do you pronounce it?
tanjun
Did you know?
- In Japanese pop culture, specifically in anime and manga, a 単純 character is often a 'lovable fool' archetype whose predictability makes them endearing to others.
- Japanese has a distinct word 純粋 for 'pure' that is similar to 単純, but using 純粋 for a person's nature is almost always a high compliment, whereas 単純 is more ambiguous.
- In Japanese, the word 単純 can be used as a compliment to describe a design or a mathematical solution as 'elegant' or 'straightforward'.
Examples in context
- あいつってちょっと単純だよな。He's a bit naive.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a person as being a bit naive.Tatoeba #3626366 by arnab, translation #1633862 by Spamster
- それを信じるなんて君は単純だね。It's naive of you to believe that.This sentence shows how to express that believing something is a naive act.Tatoeba #204557 by bunbuku, translation #41798 by CK
- 彼女はまだ幼くて素朴な性格です。(Kanojo wa mada osanakute soboku na seikaku desu)She is still young and has an innocent personality.
- 彼は少し単純すぎる。Kare wa sukoshi tanjun sugiru.He is a little too naive.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a boy's reaction to a prank.
- 大翔 Hiroto彼は本当に単純だね。Kare wa hontou ni tanjun da ne.He is really naive, isn't he?
- 美咲 Misakiあんなに簡単に信じちゃうなんて。Anna ni kantan ni shinjichau nante.To believe it that easily…
- 大翔 Hiroto純粋というか、単純すぎるよ。Junsui to iu ka, tanjun sugiru yo.I'd call it pure, but he's just too naive.
- 美咲 Misakiそう、ちょっと危なっかしいよね。Sou, chotto abunakkashii yo ne.Exactly, it's a bit worrying.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
