Word
退屈
Meaning in Englishboredom, boring, dull
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does taikutsu mean? It denotes the feeling of boredom and dullness in a situation or activity. For an English speaker, taikutsu describes both a state of mind and the quality of activities that fail to engage.
Main meanings
- State of being bored or uninterested in a current activity
- Describing a person, a situation, or a thing as dull or repetitive
- Used with する to express becoming bored
- Descriptive use with だ/です to label a scene as boring
How to use it
Used as a noun or na-adjective to describe boredom; common in casual talk and formal writing when referring to dull lectures, repetitive chores, or unengaging media. Typical constructions include 退屈だ, 退屈な話, 退屈する, and 退屈を感じる.
Variants and close terms
- つまらない (tsumaranai) — boring
- 面白い (omoshiroi) — interesting
- 退屈な話 (taikutsu na hanashi) — a dull talk
Composition
- 退: retreat, backward movement
- 屈: bend, yield
- Together, the characters convey a sense of being pushed back or unable to move forward, which in turn evokes a feeling of dullness or disengagement
Word class
Noun/na-adjective (na-adjective)
Related words by kanji and components
N1
後退
koutai
retreat, backspace
N1
窮屈
kyuukutsu
narrow, tight, formal
N1
屈折
kussetsu
bending, indentation, refraction
N1
退化
taika
degeneration, retrogression
N1
退治
taiji
extermination
N1
退職
taishoku
retirement (from office)
N1
脱退
dattai
secession, withdrawal
N1
理屈
rikutsu
theory, reason
N2
退ける
dokeru
to dislodge, to put something out of the way