Translation guide
The act or result of forming a wrong opinion or estimate about a situation, person, or thing. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various nouns, verbs, and set phrases that differ by nuance: simple mistake in judgment, underestimation, misreading of a situation, or personal miscalculation.
Expressing that someone made a wrong decision or assessment.
A formal noun meaning 'misjudgment' or 'wrong judgment'. Often used in legal, business, or serious contexts.
彼の誤判断が大きな損失を招いた。
His misjudgment led to a huge loss.
A common, slightly casual compound meaning 'judgment mistake'. Used in everyday conversation and business.
あの時は判断ミスだった。
That was a misjudgment on my part.
Refers to 'misrecognition' or 'mistaken belief', often used in legal or factual contexts.
事実誤認があった。
There was a misjudgment of the facts.
Verb phrase meaning 'to misjudge' or 'to make an error in judgment'.
状況を判断を誤った。
I misjudged the situation.
When someone wrongly assesses the difficulty, size, or capability of something or someone.
Verb meaning 'to misjudge by sight' or 'to mistake one thing for another'. Often used for misreading a situation or person.
相手の実力を見誤った。
I misjudged my opponent's ability.
Noun/verb meaning 'underestimation'. Commonly used when someone undervalues a person, risk, or task.
Verb meaning 'to underestimate' or 'to look down on'. Slightly colloquial and often carries a nuance of disdain.
Failing to correctly interpret social cues, mood, or context.
Literally 'can't read the air'. Describes someone who misjudges the social atmosphere and acts inappropriately.
彼は空気を読めない人だ。
He's someone who misjudges the mood.
Noun meaning 'misunderstanding' or 'wrong assumption'. Often used for personal misjudgments in daily life.
それは私の勘違いでした。
That was my misjudgment / misunderstanding.
When a prediction or estimate turns out to be incorrect.
Phrase meaning 'overly optimistic outlook' or 'misjudgment of future prospects'.
計画の見通しが甘かった。
I misjudged how the plan would go (was too optimistic).
Noun meaning 'miscalculation' or 'error in estimation'. Used in both literal math and figurative planning.
それは大きな誤算だった。
That was a major misjudgment (miscalculation).
誤判断 is more formal and often appears in written reports or serious contexts. 判断ミス is common in everyday speech and business conversation. For casual talk, 判断ミス is more natural.
There is no single all-purpose Japanese word for 'misjudgment'. Using 誤判断 in casual conversation may sound stiff. Choose the expression that matches the specific nuance: underestimation, misreading, miscalculation, etc.
彼の能力を過小評価していた。
I had misjudged his abilities (underestimated him).
彼を見くびっていた。
I misjudged him (underestimated him).