無名(むめい)

むめい
noun, no-adjective
unknown, obscure, anonymous
descriptive
1. unknown, obscure, nameless
Not famous or well-known. Used to describe people, places, or things that have not gained recognition or fame.
彼(かれ)は無名(むめい)の画家(がか)だった。
He was an unknown painter.
無名(むめい)の新人(しんじん)がいきなり優勝(ゆうしょう)した。
An unknown newcomer suddenly won the championship.
無名(むめい)の小(ちい)さな村(むら)が、映画(えいが)のロケ地(ち)になったことで一躍(いちやく)有名(ゆうめい)になった。
A small, obscure village suddenly became famous after being used as a filming location.
2. anonymous
Having no name attached, or the identity is not known or disclosed.
無名(むめい)の詩(し)が見(み)つかった。
An anonymous poem was discovered.
美術館(びじゅつかん)には無名(むめい)の作者(さくしゃ)による中世(ちゅうせい)の絵画(かいが)が展示(てんじ)されている。
The museum displays medieval paintings by anonymous artists.
この刀(かたな)は無名(むめい)だが、刀身(とうしん)の出来(でき)から名工(めいこう)の作(さく)と推定(すいてい)されている。
This sword is unsigned, but based on the quality of the blade, it is presumed to be the work of a master smith.

Common patterns

Used as a noun (無名(むめい)) and as a no-adjective modifier (無名(むめい)の).

Similar words

無名(むめい) (unknown/nameless) is the opposite of 有名(ゆうめい) (famous). The pair 無名(むめい)/有名(ゆうめい) shares the same structure: 無(む)/有(ゆう) (without/with) + 名(めい) (name/fame).

Watch out

An unsigned Japanese sword, one with no swordsmith's inscription (銘(めい)) on the tang, is 無銘(むめい), a different word with the same reading; 無名(むめい) is not the sword term.

Common collocations

Related Words

Antonym: 有名(ゆうめい) (famous)
Compare: 名(な)もなき (nameless)
Compare: 無冠(むかん) (uncrowned)
general
Added 2026.2.24 20:42 · Revised 2026.10.5 3:41
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