Translation guide
Describes a situation, position, or condition that is dangerously unstable, uncertain, or likely to fail. Japanese uses different words depending on whether the focus is on physical instability, uncertainty, danger, or a delicate balance.
Describing a physical position, structure, or situation that is not secure and could easily give way.
Commonly used for situations that are on the verge of becoming dangerous or failing. Can describe physical precariousness or a close call.
崖の上に立っているのは危うい。
Standing on the edge of the cliff is precarious.
彼の立場は危ういものだ。
His position is precarious.
Literally 'unstable'. Used for physical instability, like a wobbly ladder or an unsteady structure. Also used for abstract instability (e.g., mental state, economy).
そのはしごは不安定だ。
That ladder is precarious.
Colloquial and slightly emphatic, implying something looks dangerously unstable or unreliable. Often used when watching someone do something risky.
あの積み方は危なっかしいね。
That stack looks precarious, doesn't it?
Describing a situation, plan, or condition that is not secure and could easily change for the worse.
Means 'uncertain' or 'unreliable'. Used when the outcome or stability of something is in doubt.
彼の将来は不確かだ。
His future is precarious.
その情報は不確かだ。
That information is precarious (unreliable).
Means 'unreliable' or 'not to be counted on'. Used for things or people that cannot be depended upon.
天気予報は当てにならない。
The weather forecast is precarious (unreliable).
Describing a situation where a small change could lead to success or failure, safety or danger.
Literally 'paper-thin difference'. Used when there is a very fine line between two outcomes, often success and failure, or safety and danger.
成功と失敗は紙一重だ。
Success and failure are precariously balanced.
Means 'just barely' or 'by a narrow margin'. Often used to describe a precarious situation where something is just barely holding on or just barely achieved.
ぎりぎりのところで助かった。
I was saved in a precarious situation (just barely).
彼はぎりぎりの生活をしている。
He lives a precarious life (just scraping by).
Literally 'tightrope walking'. Metaphor for a precarious, risky situation that requires careful balancing.
Emphasizing the danger or risk involved in a situation.
危うい (ayaui) implies imminent danger or a close call, often with a sense of 'almost' failing. 不安定 (fuantei) is more neutral and describes a lack of stability, physical or abstract. 不確か (futashika) focuses on uncertainty or unreliability of information or outcomes.
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'precarious'. Avoid direct translations like 不安定な for all contexts; choose based on the specific nuance (danger, uncertainty, balance).
Expresses a feeling of unease or lack of confidence about something's reliability or sufficiency. Often used for things that seem barely enough or worryingly uncertain.
彼の収入では生活が心もとない。
Living on his income is precarious.
彼の人生は綱渡りのようだ。
His life is like a precarious tightrope walk.
そんなことをするのは危ないよ。
Doing that is precarious (dangerous).