浅 薄(せんぱく)

せんぱく

na-adjective

shallow; superficial; lacking depth

1. shallow; superficial; lacking depth

Describes thinking, knowledge, or character that lacks depth or substance. Composed of 浅 (shallow) + 薄 (thin). A distinctly negative, critical term used in formal or literary contexts.

浅薄(せんぱく)な知識(ちしき)で語(かた)るべきではない。

You shouldn't speak based on superficial knowledge.

あの評論家(ひょうろんか)の意見(いけん)は浅薄(せんぱく)だと批判(ひはん)された。

That critic's opinion was criticized as shallow.

表面的(ひょうめんてき)な情報(じょうほう)だけで判断(はんだん)するのは浅薄(せんぱく)と言(い)わざるを得(え)ない。

Judging based only on surface-level information can only be called shallow.

Usage

浅薄(せんぱく) is a na-adjective used primarily in written and formal contexts. It is a strong criticism implying that a person or their ideas lack intellectual depth.

Common collocations

浅薄(せんぱく)な知識(ちしき) (superficial knowledge)
浅薄(せんぱく)な考(かんが)え (shallow thinking)
浅薄(せんぱく)な人間(にんげん) (shallow person)

Similar words

浅(あさ)い is a general word for "shallow" that can be literal (shallow water) or figurative. 薄(うす)っぺらい means "flimsy" or "superficial" and is more colloquial. 浅薄(せんぱく) is the most literary and harshly critical of the three.

Related Words

Related: 浅(あさ)い (shallow; general)

general

Added 2026.3.8 18:48 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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