不毛(ふもう)

ふもう
na-adjective / noun
barren, fruitless
1. barren, infertile (land)
Land that cannot support vegetation or crops due to poor soil or harsh conditions.
不毛(ふもう)の大地(だいち)が広(ひろ)がっている。
Barren land stretches out before us.
砂漠(さばく)は不毛(ふもう)な土地(とち)だ。
The desert is infertile land.
不毛(ふもう)な地(ち)を緑化(りょくか)する取(と)り組(く)みが進(すす)んでいる。
Efforts to green barren land are advancing.
2. fruitless, futile, unproductive
An activity, discussion, or effort that produces no useful results. More commonly used than the literal sense.
不毛(ふもう)な議論(ぎろん)はやめよう。
Let's stop this fruitless argument.
お互(たが)いを批判(ひはん)するだけの不毛(ふもう)な争(あらそ)いだ。
It's a futile conflict where both sides just criticize each other.
何時間(なんじかん)も話(はな)し合(あ)ったが、結局(けっきょく)不毛(ふもう)な結果(けっか)に終(お)わった。
We discussed it for hours, but it ended in a fruitless outcome.

不毛(ふもう) is used both literally (infertile land) and figuratively (unproductive efforts). The figurative sense is more common in everyday usage.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 不毛(ふもう)な議論(ぎろん) (fruitless debate)
  • 不毛(ふもう)な争(あらそ)い (futile conflict)
  • 不毛(ふもう)な土地(とち)/大地(だいち) (barren land)
  • 不毛(ふもう)の地(ち) (barren ground)

ETYMOLOGY:
不(ふ) (not) + 毛(もう) (hair, growth) — land where nothing grows.

general
Added 2026.2.16 7:42
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