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.
口下手なので、面接が苦手だ。
I'm not good at expressing myself, so I'm bad at interviews.
彼は口下手だけど、行動で気持ちを見せてくれる。
He's not good with words, but he shows his feelings through actions.
口下手な私には、手紙で伝えるほうが楽だ。
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.
- 口下手な人 (a person who's not good at expressing themselves)
- 口下手だから... (because I'm bad with words...)
NUANCE:
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.
CONTRAST:
- 口下手 ↔ 話上手 (inarticulate ↔ good at talking)
- 口下手 ↔ 弁が立つ (inarticulate ↔ eloquent)
RELATED WORDS:
- 無口 (taciturn) - doesn't speak much (by choice/nature)
- 口下手 - wants to speak but can't express well
KANJI BREAKDOWN:
- 口 (mouth) + 下手 (unskillful) = unskillful with mouth → poor speaker
Related Words
Related:
無口 (taciturn)