間ま抜ぬけ

ま

ぬ

け

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

stupid; foolish; idiotic

Describes a person, action, or idea as lacking intelligence or common sense; often carries a derogatory tone.

彼かれの間ま抜ぬけな発はつ言げんにみんな呆あきれた。
Everyone was amazed at his stupid remark.
そんな間

ま

抜ぬ

け

な

ミス

を

する

なんて

信しん

じ

られ

ない

。

I can't believe you made such a foolish mistake.

2

noun

fool; idiot; blockhead

Refers to a person who is stupid or slow-witted; used as a derogatory noun.

あいつは本ほん当とうに間ま抜ぬけだな。
That guy is a real idiot.

Written forms

間ま抜ぬけUsage60%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
まぬけUsage23%
マヌケUsage18%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling used for emphasis or in casual writing.

Kanji

間interval, space
抜slip out, extract, pull out

Similar words

馬ば鹿か
馬鹿 is a more common and versatile insult for 'fool' or 'stupid', while 間抜け specifically implies a lack of sharpness or wit, often with a nuance of being slow or missing the obvious.
愚おろか
愚か is a more formal and literary term for 'foolish', whereas 間抜け is colloquial and often carries a mocking tone.

Etymology

Compound of 間 (ma, 'gap' or 'timing') and 抜け (nuke, 'missing' or 'omission'), literally meaning 'missing the right moment' or 'lacking sense'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since the Edo period to describe someone who is slow-witted or foolish.