口下手(くちべた)

くちべた
na-adjective, noun
poor at expressing oneself; inarticulate
communication
1. poor at expressing oneself; inarticulate; not good with words
Unable to express one's thoughts or feelings smoothly through speech. The person may know what they want to say but struggles to put it into words effectively.
口下手(くちべた)なので、面接(めんせつ)が苦手(にがて)だ。
I'm not good at expressing myself, so I'm bad at interviews.
彼(かれ)は口下手(くちべた)だけど、行動(こうどう)で気持(きも)ちを見(み)せてくれる。
He's not good with words, but he shows his feelings through actions.
口下手(くちべた)な私(わたし)には、手紙(てがみ)で伝(つた)えるほうが楽(らく)だ。
For someone inarticulate like me, it's easier to communicate through letters.

Usage

Describes difficulty with verbal expression, not a lack of intelligence or ideas.

  • 口下手(くちべた)な人(ひと) (a person who's not good at expressing themselves)
  • 口下手(くちべた)だから... (because I'm bad with words...)

Often used with a sense of humility or self-deprecation. The word suggests the speaker has thoughts and feelings but struggles to articulate them, rather than having nothing to say.

Similar words

Related words

  • 無口(むくち) (taciturn): doesn't speak much, by choice or nature
  • 口下手(くちべた): wants to speak but can't express it well

Writing

Related Words

Related: 無口(むくち) (taciturn)
Antonym: 話(はな)し上手(じょうず) (good at talking)
Antonym: 弁(べん)が立(た)つ (eloquent)
Related: 口達者(くちだっしゃ) (talkative)
general
Added 2026.1.18 12:53 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02
06500/06645_kuchibeta