下手(へた)くそ

へたくそ
na-adjective / noun
terrible at, very clumsy
1. terrible at, very bad at, clumsy
An emphatic, rude form of 下手(へた), meaning extremely unskilled or bad at something. Stronger and more colloquial than 下手(へた) alone.
歌(うた)が下手(へた)くそだ。
You're terrible at singing.
下手(へた)くそな絵(え)を描(か)くなよ。
Don't draw such awful pictures.
運転(うんてん)が下手(へた)くそで、何度(なんど)もエンストした。
His driving was so bad that he stalled the engine multiple times.

REGISTER:
Rude and blunt. Used when criticizing someone's skill harshly, often in casual speech or as a taunt. Avoid in polite settings.

WORD FORMATION:
下手(へた) (unskilled) + くそ (intensifier from 糞(くそ), a vulgar suffix meaning "crappy")

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 下手(へた): unskilled (neutral)
  • 下手(へた)くそ: terrible at (rude, emphatic)
  • 不器用(ぶきよう): clumsy, not dexterous (more neutral, broader)

Related Words

Related: 下手(へた) (base form)
general
Added 2026.2.16 10:06 · Revised 2026.2.19 21:42
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