How to Say "Nameless" in Japanese

名無し

nanashi[na̠na̠ɕi]

In Japanese, 'nameless' can be expressed as 名無し (nanashi) or 無名の.

Meaning: having no name (adj)

Ways to say it

“nameless” in Japanese
Japanese	Romanization (Wiktionary)	IPA
名無し	nanashi	[na̠na̠ɕi] (narrow)
無名の	mumei no

名無し is often used as a noun or a label for someone whose identity is not provided, such as 'Anonymous' in online forums.

The word 名無し is composed of 名 (name) and 無し (none/without).

While 名無し literally means 'having no name', 無名の is more commonly used to describe an 'unknown' or 'obscure' person, such as an unknown artist.

The form 無名の uses the particle の to function as an attributive adjective, meaning it must directly precede a noun.

nanashi

In historical Japan, being 'nameless' was a sign of low social status because surnames were legally reserved for the nobility and the samurai class.
The character 無 in 無名 is also found in the word 無敵, which means 'invincible' because it literally translates to 'having no enemy'.
In many Japanese internet forums, users do not use a variety of pseudonyms, but instead default to the single term 名無しさん (nanashi-san) to address an anonymous poster.

彼は無名の画家です。
He is a nameless painter.
この投書は匿名でした。
This letter was anonymous.
この曲は名前のない作品です。
This song is a nameless piece of work.
彼は名無しの勇者です。
He is a nameless hero.
名前のない作者を探しています。
I'm looking for a nameless author.
ウェブサイトは匿名で提供されています。
The website is provided anonymously.
あの映画は無名の監督によって作られました。
That movie was made by a nameless director.
名無しのユーザーがコメントしました。
Nanashi no yuuzaa ga komento shimashita.
A nameless user left a comment.

Misaki and Yota are looking at an old drawing in a museum.

陽太 Yota

この絵の作者は誰かな？
Kono e no sakusha wa dare kana?
I wonder who the artist of this painting is?
美咲 Misaki

ここには名無しと書いてあるよ。
Koko ni wa nanashi to kaite aru yo.
It says 'nameless' right here.
陽太 Yota

残念だね。誰が描いたんだろう。
Zannen da ne. Dare ga kaita ndarou.
That's too bad. I wonder who painted it.
美咲 Misaki

名無しでも素敵な絵だと思うよ。
Nanashi demo suteki na e da to omou yo.
I think it's a lovely painting even if it's nameless.

Sources

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