Translation guide
A person who is habitually lazy or idle. In Japanese, this is expressed through nouns describing a lazy person, adjectives, or idiomatic phrases.
そんな怠け者にならないで！
Don't be such a lazybones!
To refer to someone who is lazy by nature, often in a mildly critical or teasing way.
The most common and direct equivalent. It literally means 'lazy person' and is used in everyday conversation.
彼は本当に怠け者だ。
He's a real lazybones.
あの怠け者がまた寝ている。
That lazybones is sleeping again.
A colloquial term for a lazy person who lounges around doing nothing. Often used as a noun or na-adjective.
休みの日はぐうたらして過ごす。
On my days off, I laze around like a lazybones.
彼はぐうたらで、仕事を探そうとしない。
He's a lazybones and won't look for a job.
A somewhat old-fashioned or literary term for a slovenly, lazy person. Emphasizes neglect of duties or appearance.
彼は無精者で、部屋はいつも散らかっている。
He's a lazybones, and his room is always messy.
To characterize a person's lazy nature using adjectives or descriptive phrases.
A formal adjective meaning 'lazy' or 'indolent'. Often used in written contexts or serious criticism.
怠惰な生活を送っている。
He leads a lazybones lifestyle.
Literally 'has a habit of being lazy'. Used to describe someone who tends to be a lazybones.
彼は怠け癖があるから、いつも締め切りに遅れる。
He's such a lazybones that he always misses deadlines.
An adjective describing someone who finds everything bothersome and avoids effort. Similar to 'slothful'.
ものぐさな性格で、掃除が嫌いだ。
He's a lazybones by nature and hates cleaning.
To directly call someone a lazybones in a playful or scolding manner.
Simply shouting 'Lazybones!' at someone. Common in casual scolding.
怠け者！起きなさい！
Lazybones! Get up!
A more colloquial and slightly harsher way to call someone a lazybones.
ぐうたら！またテレビばかり見て！
Lazybones! You're just watching TV again!
怠け者 is the standard word for a lazy person and can be used in most situations. ぐうたら is more colloquial and implies lounging around idly, often with a sense of sloppiness. ぐうたら can also be used as a verb (ぐうたらする) to mean 'laze around'.
週末はぐうたらしていた。
I was being a lazybones all weekend.
English 'lazybones' is a playful term. Direct translations like 怠け骨 (lazy bones) do not exist in Japanese. Use the provided nouns or adjectives instead.