1.
absurdity; irrationality; unreasonableness
Something that defies logic or fairness. Used both in everyday language for situations that seem unreasonable and in literary or philosophical contexts for existential absurdity.
世の中は不条理だ。
The world is absurd.
不条理な扱いに怒りを感じた。
I felt anger at the unreasonable treatment.
カミュの小説は人間存在の不条理をテーマにしている。
Camus's novels deal with the absurdity of human existence.
USAGE:
不条理 functions as both a noun and a na-adjective (不条理な). In everyday use it describes situations that are unfair or make no sense. In literary contexts it refers to philosophical absurdism, particularly associated with Camus and Kafka.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 不条理な世界 (an absurd world)
- 不条理な扱い (unreasonable treatment)
- 不条理を感じる (to feel something is absurd)
- 不条理劇 (theater of the absurd)
SIMILAR WORDS:
理不尽 is a close synonym but emphasizes unfairness and unreasonableness in interpersonal situations, whereas 不条理 has a broader, more philosophical scope.