Translation guide
Expressing that something is impossible to understand, often with nuances of being unclear, nonsensical, or beyond comprehension.
Describing speech, writing, or ideas that cannot be understood at all.
The most direct and common way to say 'incomprehensible'. Literally 'cannot understand'. Used for things that are beyond one's understanding.
彼の説明は全く理解できない。
His explanation is completely incomprehensible.
This text is too difficult to understand.
Means 'meaning unclear' or 'nonsensical'. Often used for statements or actions that make no sense.
彼の言っていることは意味不明だ。
What he's saying is incomprehensible.
そのメールは意味不明だった。
That email was incomprehensible.
Means 'incomprehensible' or 'mysterious'. Slightly more formal, often used for puzzling situations or behavior.
彼の行動は不可解だ。
His behavior is incomprehensible.
A colloquial phrase meaning 'makes no sense' or 'I can't make heads or tails of it'. Very common in spoken Japanese.
何が起こったのかわけがわからない。
I have no idea what happened; it's incomprehensible.
An onomatopoeic word meaning 'completely incomprehensible', like gibberish. Often used for foreign languages or technical jargon.
専門用語ばかりでちんぷんかんぷんだ。
It's all technical jargon; it's completely incomprehensible.
Describing something so vast, complex, or profound that it cannot be fully grasped.
Means 'immeasurable' or 'unfathomable'. Used for things like depth of feeling, scale of the universe, etc.
宇宙の広さは計り知れない。
The vastness of the universe is incomprehensible.
彼の悲しみは計り知れない。
His sorrow is incomprehensible.
Literally 'beyond imagination'. Used for extreme situations or suffering.
被災地の状況は想像を絶する。
The situation in the disaster area is incomprehensible.
A philosophical term meaning 'unknowable'. Rare in everyday speech.
神の意志は不可知だ。
God's will is incomprehensible.
Describing something that cannot be understood because it is garbled, in a foreign language, or poorly expressed.
Means 'cannot catch/hear clearly'. Used for speech that is too quiet, fast, or mumbled.
彼の声が小さくて聞き取れない。
His voice is too quiet; it's incomprehensible.
Means 'cannot decipher/read'. Used for illegible handwriting or unclear text.
彼の字は汚くて判読できない。
His handwriting is so messy it's incomprehensible.
理解できない is a straightforward statement that you cannot understand something. 意味不明 implies that the thing itself is unclear or nonsensical, often with a negative judgment. Use 理解できない for neutral inability, and 意味不明 when you want to emphasize that something makes no sense.
この本は難しくて理解できない。
This book is difficult and I can't understand it.
彼の返事は意味不明だった。
His reply was incomprehensible (nonsensical).
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'incomprehensible'. Choose the expression based on the specific nuance: inability to understand (理解できない), lack of meaning (意味不明), unfathomable scale (計り知れない), etc.
Means 'incoherent' or 'disjointed'. Used for rambling, illogical speech or writing.
彼の主張は支離滅裂で理解できない。
His argument is incoherent and incomprehensible.