雑(ざつ)な

A very common colloquial na-adjective expressing a lack of care or precision. It has a mildly negative tone but is often used in a frank, everyday way rather than as harsh criticism. Can describe physical actions (rough handling), work quality (sloppy output), personality (not detail-oriented), or even speech and explanations (vague, careless).

The adverbial form 雑(ざつ)に is also frequently used.

Common collocations

• 雑(ざつ)な仕事(しごと): sloppy work
• 雑(ざつ)な扱(あつか)い: rough handling
• 雑(ざつ)な説明(せつめい): careless explanation
• 雑(ざつ)な性格(せいかく): rough-and-ready personality
• 雑(ざつ)に置(お)く: to put down carelessly

Similar words

• いい加減(かげん)な: irresponsible; half-hearted — stronger criticism, implies lack of sincerity
• 大雑把(おおざっぱ)な: rough; broad-brush — less negative, can be neutral ("big-picture oriented")
• 粗(あら)い: coarse; rough — more about texture or physical roughness than carelessness
• 適当(てきとう)な: slapdash; half-hearted (colloquial) — similar casualness but also means "appropriate" in formal use