ろくでなし
rokudenashi[ɾo̞kɯ̟de̞na̠ɕi]
The English phrase "you're a bum" can be translated into Japanese as ろくでなし (rokudenashi).
ろくでなし is used to describe a person who is perceived as useless, irresponsible or a failure in society. A similar informal phrase is ダメ人間, which depicts someone as useless or incompetent.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a noun, ろくでなし can be used alone as an insult or can be preceded by a particle like 'wa' (ろくでなしは…) to mean 'as for the bum…'
How do you pronounce it?
rokudenashi
Did you know?
- The term ろくでなし likely originates from the word ろくで, which referred to a usable piece of firewood. To be ろくでなし literally meant to be a piece of wood that cannot be used for fuel.
- While ろくでなし is a harsh insult, it is often used in Japanese fiction and anime as a term of endearment or frustration by a parent toward a child they still love.
- In Japanese culture, the concept of being a ダメ人間 is sometimes romanticized in 'hikikomori' or 'slacker' subcultures as a rebellious rejection of the intense pressure to succeed in society.
Examples in context
- お前ってダメ人間だよ。You're such a useless person.
- あいつは本当にろくでなしだ。Aitsu wa hontou ni rokudenashi da.That guy is a real bum.
- 君はろくでなしなんだね。Kimi wa rokudenashi nanda ne.You're a bum, aren't you?
Example conversation
A sister scolds her brother for spending all day playing games.
- 陽太 Yotaまだゲームしてるの？Mada gēmu shiteru no?Are you still playing games?
- 陽葵 Himariあと少しで終わるからいいじゃん。Ato sukoshi de owaru kara ii jan.It'll be over in a bit, so leave me alone.
- 陽太 Yota本当にろくでなしなんだから！Hontō ni rokudenashi nan da kara!You really are a bum!
- 陽葵 Himariひどいな、陽葵。Hidoi na, Himari.That's mean, Himari.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ろくでなし, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
