あやふや
あやふや
na-adjective
uncertain; vague; unreliable
1.
uncertain; vague; unreliable; shaky
lacking certainty or reliability; not clearly defined or remembered
記憶があやふやだ。
My memory is hazy.
あやふやな知識で話すな。
Don't speak based on uncertain knowledge.
説明があやふやで分かりにくかった。
The explanation was vague and hard to understand.
USAGE:
- あやふやな記憶 (hazy memory)
- あやふやな態度 (uncertain attitude)
- あやふやな返事 (vague answer)
NUANCE:
あやふや often describes something that should be clear but isn't—like incomplete knowledge, unreliable information, or a shaky foundation.
COMPARISON WITH SIMILAR WORDS:
- うやむや: deliberately left unclear, often to avoid responsibility
- あやふや: inherently uncertain or poorly understood
- 曖昧: ambiguous, could be interpreted multiple ways