Word
Kana: ふじゆう Romaji: fujiyuu Level: N3

不自由

Meaning in English

discomfort, disability, inconvenience

Stroke order

Animated kanji stroke order

Sentence

Related sentences

Related sentences

There are no published items in this section yet.

Dictionary

Word context

What it means

What does 不自由 mean? It denotes a lack of freedom or a constraint on one's actions, describing a condition where one cannot act freely due to physical, social, or practical factors, rather than moral or political ideology alone.

Main meanings

  • expresses a lack of freedom in action or movement, whether physical, social, or situational
  • captures the sense of inconvenience or impracticality in daily life when options or paths are constrained
  • can refer to a state of disability or mobility limitation, especially in contexts discussing accessibility or independence

How to use it

Used as a noun or na-adjective to describe situations where one is restricted, unable to act freely, or faced with practical obstacles. In formal writing, it appears in medical, legal, or policy contexts to discuss limitations, while in everyday speech it conveys personal or situational inconvenience without asserting a stance on freedom as a political concept.

Variants and close terms

  • 不便 (ふべん, fuben) — inconvenience
  • 制限される (せいげんされる, seigen sareru) — to be restricted
  • 自由がない (じゆうがない, jiyuu ga nai) — not free
  • 不自由さ (ふじゆうさ, fujiyuusa) — the state of being unable

Composition

  • 不 = negation prefix meaning not or un-
  • 自由 = freedom, liberty
  • When combined, 不自由 conveys the idea of lacking freedom or being constrained

Word class

na-adjective (noun)

Word

Related words by kanji and components

Kanji

Related kanji