Translation guide
How to express leaving something incomplete or not finished in Japanese, covering various contexts from tasks to creative works.
The speaker stops working on something before it is done, often with the implication that it remains in that state.
Literally 'leave it as half-done'. A natural way to say you left something unfinished, often used for tasks or projects.
レポートをやりかけのままにして、寝てしまった。
I left the report unfinished and went to sleep.
Means 'stop in the middle'. Emphasizes the action of quitting before completion.
小説を書くのを途中でやめた。
I stopped writing the novel halfway through.
A noun meaning 'incomplete' or 'unfinished', often used in formal contexts like describing an unfinished manuscript or work.
この作品は未完のまま残された。
This work was left unfinished.
Not finishing a meal or beverage, often implying some remains on the plate or in the cup.
The standard verb for leaving food uneaten. Can be used for any leftover items.
ご飯を残してしまった。
I left some rice uneaten.
Specifically for food that has been partially eaten and then left as is.
パンを食べかけのままにして出かけた。
I left the bread half-eaten and went out.
The speaker trails off or doesn't complete what they were saying, often for emotional effect or because the implication is clear.
Means 'start to say and then stop'. Used when someone breaks off mid-sentence.
彼は何かを言いかけてやめた。
He started to say something but then stopped.
Literally 'make words muddy'. Means to speak ambiguously or not finish a thought to avoid being direct.
彼女は言葉を濁して、本当のことを言わなかった。
She hemmed and hawed and didn't say what she really meant.
A work is abandoned or remains incomplete, often with a sense of finality.
Means 'end up unfinished'. Used for projects, artworks, or constructions that never reach completion.
その建物は未完成のまま終わった。
That building was left unfinished.
Refers to an author's last, unfinished work, often due to death. Very specific literary term.
これは彼の絶筆となった小説だ。
This is the novel that became his last, unfinished work.