Japanese symbol for “inability”
無能
むのう
Romaji: munou
incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incapacity
In Japanese, inability is 無能, read むのう (munou).
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-na, adj-no, n incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incapacity
- n incompetent person
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “inability”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 不自由 | ふじゆう fujiyuu | inability; disability; impairment (physical, mental, etc.) |
| 困難 | こんなん konnan | infeasibility; inability (to carry out) |
| 不能 | ふのう funou | incompetence; inability |
| 無能力 | むのうりょく munouryoku | incompetence; inability; disability |
| 非器 | ひき hiki | inability; incapability; lack of calibre |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 無料 | むりょう muryou | free (of charge); gratuitous |
| 無理 | むり muri | unreasonable; unnatural; unjustifiable |
| 無事 | ぶじ buji | safety; security; peace |
| 無駄 | むだ muda | futility; waste; uselessness |
| 無線 | むせん musen | radio (communication) |
| 無理やり | むりやり muriyari | forcibly; by force; against one's will |
| 可能 | かのう kanou | possible; potential; practicable |
| 機能 | きのう kinou | function; facility; faculty |
See also: Chinese symbol for “inability”.
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.
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