(ふぐあい)

ふぐあい
noun, na-adjective
defect, malfunction
businessdescriptive
1. defect, malfunction, bug
A problem or flaw in a product, system, or process that prevents it from working correctly. Often used as a softer alternative to stronger words like 'failure' or 'defect' in customer-facing communications.
ソフトウェア不具合(ふぐあい)()つかった
A bug was found in the software.
There was a recall due to a product defect.
We released an update to fix the bug.
Please contact us if you experience any problems.
2. inconvenience, trouble
An undesirable situation or condition that causes problems or difficulties.
Please contact us if you experience any problems.
If you feel something is off with your health, please see a doctor.
The construction caused problems for the neighborhood.

Composition: () (not, un-) + 具合(ぐあい) (condition, state). Literally "bad condition."

Common collocations

Usage note: 不具合(ふぐあい) is often preferred in business and customer communication because it sounds less severe than 故障(こしょう) (breakdown), 欠陥(けっかん) (defect), or 不良(ふりょう) (defective). This is sometimes called euphemistic corporate language.

Related words