Japanese symbol for “botch”

出来損ない

できそこない

Romaji: dekisokonai

failure; defective article; dead loss; botch

In Japanese, botch is 出来損ない, read できそこない (dekisokonai).

Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.

Meanings

adj-no, n failure; defective article; dead loss; botch
n good-for-nothing; worthless person; flop

Written forms: 出来損ない、出来そこない、でき損ない、出来損い. Readings: できそこない.

Kanji and stroke order

出

exit, leave, go out

on: シュツ、スイ
kun: で.る、-で、だ.す、-だ.す

5 strokes · JLPT 4

来

come, due, next

on: ライ、タイ
kun: く.る、きた.る、きた.す、き.たす

7 strokes · JLPT 4

損

damage, loss, disadvantage

on: ソン
kun: そこ.なう、そこな.う、-そこ.なう、そこ.ねる

13 strokes · JLPT 2

Other Japanese words for “botch”

Word	Reading	Meaning
遣り損ずる	やりそんずる yarisonzuru	to botch; to bungle; to fail
遣り損じる	やりそんじる yarisonjiru	to botch; to bungle; to fail

Related words

Words that share a kanji.

Word	Reading	Meaning
出演	しゅつえん shutsuen	appearance (in a film, play, TV show, etc.); performance
出す	だす dasu	to take out; to get out
出る	でる deru	to leave; to exit; to go out
出来る	できる dekiru	to be able to do; to be possible; to be permitted (to do)
出身	しゅっしん shusshin	one's origin (e.g. city, country, parentage, school)
演出	えんしゅつ enshutsu	direction (of a play, film, etc.); production
未来	みらい mirai	(distant) future
以来	いらい irai	since; henceforth
損害	そんがい songai	damage; injury; loss

See also: Chinese symbol for “botch”.

Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.