Translation guide
How to express 'misfire' in Japanese, covering engine failure, gun failure, and figurative failures.
When an engine fails to ignite or runs poorly, especially in vehicles.
Literally 'the engine doesn't start'. The most common way to say an engine misfires or fails to start.
車のエンジンがかからない。
The car engine won't start.
Technical term for 'misfire' in engines. Used in mechanical contexts.
When a gun fails to fire properly.
Standard term for a gun misfire or dud round.
When a plan, joke, or attempt fails to achieve its intended effect.
General term for 'fail'. Covers most figurative misfires.
彼の計画は失敗した。
His plan misfired.
不発 (ふはつ) literally means 'misfire' and is used for guns, engines, or figurative failures that 'fail to ignite'. 失敗 (しっぱい) is a general 'failure' and is more common for plans and attempts. Use 不発 when you want to emphasize the lack of ignition or the 'dud' aspect.
計画が不発に終わった。
The plan ended in a misfire.
計画が失敗した。
The plan failed.
The engine is misfiring.
Literally 'misfire' or 'failure to ignite', but more commonly used for explosives or plans. Can be used for engines in a figurative sense.
エンジンが不発に終わった。
The engine ended up misfiring.
銃が不発だった。
The gun misfired.
Specifically a dud round or unexploded ordnance.
不発弾が見つかった。
A dud was found.
Literally 'end in a misfire'. Used for jokes, plans, or attempts that fall flat.
彼のジョークは不発に終わった。
His joke misfired.
Slang for a joke that bombs or falls flat. Very common in casual speech.
ギャグが滑った。
The gag misfired.
Literally 'end in a swing and a miss'. Used for efforts that produce no result.
彼の努力は空振りに終わった。
His efforts misfired.