不味(まず)い

まずい
adjective (i-adjective)
bad-tasting, unappetizing
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present不味(まず)い不味(まず)くない
Past不味(まず)かった不味(まず)くなかった
て form不味(まず)くて不味(まず)くなくて
Adverbial不味(まず)く—
Conditional ば不味(まず)ければ不味(まず)くなければ
Conditional たら不味(まず)かったら不味(まず)くなかったら
1. bad-tasting, unappetizing
Describes food or drink that tastes bad. The opposite of おいしい (delicious). Use with caution as it can be rude if directed at someone's cooking.
これは不味(まず)いです。
This tastes bad.
Be careful saying this to the cook!
この店(みせ)の魚(さかな)は不味(まず)いから、もう行(い)きません。
The fish at this restaurant is bad, so I won't go there anymore.
不味(まず)いものは食(た)べたくないです。
I don't want to eat anything that tastes bad.
このコーヒーは不味(まず)いです。砂糖(さとう)を入(い)れてもだめです。
This coffee tastes bad. Even adding sugar doesn't help.
不味(まず)いと思(おも)ったら、食(た)べなくてもいいです。
If you think it tastes bad, you don't have to eat it.
2. awkward, unfavorable
Can also describe a situation that is problematic, inconvenient, or in bad shape. This sense is common in casual conversation.
それは不味(まず)いですね。
That's a bad situation.
Using the 'problematic' sense
不味(まず)い、時間(じかん)がない！
Oh no, there's no time!
Casual exclamation meaning 'this is bad'
先生(せんせい)に聞(き)かれたら不味(まず)いね。
It would be bad if the teacher heard us.
この話(はなし)は不味(まず)いから、ここではやめよう。
This conversation is risky, so let's stop here.
不味(まず)いことになった。親(おや)に電話(でんわ)しないと。どうしよう。
Things have gotten bad. I need to call my parents. What should I do?

不味(まず)い describes something unpleasant—either food that tastes bad or a situation that is awkward or risky.

USAGE:

  • Sense 1 (taste): the plain opposite of おいしい. Blunt, and potentially rude about someone's cooking.
  • Sense 2 (problematic): very common in casual speech for an awkward, inconvenient, or dangerous situation. As a one-word exclamation, 不味(まず)い！means "uh-oh, this is bad."

REGISTER:
Informal and direct. Soften criticism of food with あまりおいしいない ("not very tasty") rather than saying 不味(まず)い to a host.

COLLOCATIONS:

SIMILAR ADJECTIVES:

WRITING:
Usually written in hiragana (まずい); the kanji 不味(まず)い is uncommon.

Related Words

Antonym: 美味(おい)しい (delicious)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:04 · Revised 2026.6.18 6:21
00500/00733_mazui