Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 適当な | tekitō na |
| 出任せの | demakase no |
| 勝手気ままな | katte-kimama na |
| 不可解な | fukakai na |
Japanese speakers use different words depending on whether they are describing a scientific process, a person's behavior or something done without thought. For example, the noun 野次馬 refers to an unimportant person.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends heavily on the specific nuance of 'random' you wish to convey. 適当な is primarily used to mean 'appropriate' or 'suitable', though it can imply something is being done arbitrarily or dismissively. 出任せの is used when 'random' implies that something is being said or done recklessly, without thought, truth or a factual basis. 勝手気ままな is used when describing behavior that is 'random' in the sense of being self-indulgent, whimsical or driven solely by one's own whims without regard for others. For more formal or precise contexts, such as describing something occurring by chance, you might use 偶然. In scientific or statistical contexts where you want to emphasize a lack of specific order or pattern, 無作為 is the appropriate term.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
tekitō na
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use the katakana loanword ランダムな. While this is perfectly understood in technical or mathematical contexts, such as describing a 'random number', it sounds unnatural when you are trying to describe human behavior or social situations.
Did you know?
- The word 適当な is a linguistic trap because it is used for both 'perfectly appropriate' and 'completely random'. Depending on the tone of voice, it can be a high compliment or a harsh criticism.
- While 'random' in English is often used as a slang adjective for something weird, Japanese speakers would use 不可解な to describe something 'random' that is truly inexplicable or mysterious.
- The term 無作為 for 'random' literally translates to 'without intention' or 'without design'. It is the standard term in mathematics and statistics to describe a process lacking a specific pattern.
Examples in context
- このデータは 無作為 に選ばれました。This data was selected at random.
- 夜ごはんは 適当 に何か作ろう。Let's cook something random for dinner.
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are talking about a presentation.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さん、この資料はどうしましょうか？Hiroto-san, kono shiryō wa dō shimashō ka?Hiroto, what should we do with these documents?
- 大翔 Hiroto適当なところに置いておいて。Tekitō na tokoro ni oite oite.Just put them in some random spot.
- 美咲 Misaki本当にいいんですか？Hontō ni ii n desu ka?Are you sure that's okay?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、後で片付けるから大丈夫だよ。Un, ato de katazukeru kara daijōbu da yo.Yeah, I'll tidy up later, so it's fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “random” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
