怠(なま)け者(もの)

なまけもの
noun
lazy person; slacker
personality
1. lazy person; slacker; idler
A person who avoids work or effort. Can also refer to the animal sloth, which is named for its perceived laziness.
彼(かれ)は怠(なま)け者(もの)だ。
He is a slacker.
怠(なま)け者(もの)と呼(よ)ばれたくない。
I don't want to be called lazy.
子(こ)どもの頃(ころ)は怠(なま)け者(もの)だったが、大人(おとな)になって変(か)わった。
I was lazy as a child, but I changed as an adult.

Usage

Formed from 怠(なま)ける (to be lazy, to slack off) + 者(もの) (person). A fairly direct and somewhat harsh label. The word is also used as the Japanese name for the sloth (the animal), written as ナマケモノ in katakana.

Common collocations

  • 怠(なま)け者(もの)と呼(よ)ばれる (to be called a slacker)
  • 怠(なま)け者(もの)のレッテル (the label of being lazy)

Similar words

  • ぐうたら: lazybones — more casual and slightly humorous
  • 横着(おうちゃく): lazy, cutting corners — emphasizes taking shortcuts

Related Words

Antonym: 働(はたら)き者(もの) (hard worker)
Related: 怠(なま)ける (to be lazy (verb))
Compare: ぐうたら (lazybones)
Related: ものぐさ (lazy)
Related: 面倒(めんどう)くさがり (lazy person)
Compare: ずぼら (lazy)
general
Added 2026.3.15 13:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16500/16970_namakemono