不合格（ふごうかく、fugoukaku）
- fail (exam)

The Japanese word 不合格 (ふごうかく) means "failure," "rejection," or "being unqualified." It's used when someone or something doesn't meet the required standards or criteria, leading to a negative outcome. It's often used in the context of examinations, applications, or any evaluation process where a pass/fail judgment is made. ⚫︎ It implies that the subject did not achieve the necessary level of competence or did not fulfill the required conditions. ⚫︎ The word emphasizes a lack of success or the inability to proceed further.

⚫︎ 試験に不合格だった。 Translation: I failed the exam. ⚫︎ 不合格通知を受け取った。 Translation: I received a rejection notice. ⚫︎ 彼は採用面接で不合格だった。 Translation: He was rejected in the job interview.

You can use 不合格 in various situations to express that someone or something didn't pass or was rejected. It's a formal word, suitable for official or serious contexts like: ⚫︎ Discussing the results of a test or examination. ⚫︎ Referring to a rejected application (e.g., job application, university application). ⚫︎ Describing a product that didn't meet quality standards. ⚫︎ Giving negative feedback on a performance.

⚫︎ The standard way to write this word is 不合格. ⚫︎ It is written with the kanji 不 (fu - meaning "not" or "un-") and 合格 (goukaku - meaning "passing" or "success"). ⚫︎ The reading is ふごうかく in hiragana. ⚫︎ There is no katakana version. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana.

Some synonyms for 不合格 are: ⚫︎ 落第 (rakudai) - Failing a grade or a course. ⚫︎ 失敗 (shippai) - Failure (in general, broader than just examinations). ⚫︎ 不採用 (fusaiyou) - Rejection (often used for job applications). ⚫︎ 不成立 (fuseiritsu) - Invalid; null and void (used more broadly, e.g., for contracts).

The antonyms or opposite words of 不合格 are: ⚫︎ 合格 (goukaku) - Passing. ⚫︎ 成功 (seikou) - Success. ⚫︎ 採用 (saiyou) - Hiring, adoption (e.g., in a job application).

彼は大学入試で不合格だったため、浪人することになった。 ・Translation: Because he failed the university entrance exam, he had to become a rōnin (a student preparing to retake the exam). ・Explanation: This sentence explains the consequences of 不合格 in an entrance examination.

製品が品質検査で不合格となり、出荷が中止された。 ・Translation: The product failed the quality inspection and its shipment was cancelled. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 不合格 is used in a business context, highlighting a quality control issue.

The etymology of 不合格 is straightforward, derived directly from the combination of the kanji: ⚫︎ 不 (fu) means "not" or "un-." ⚫︎ 合格 (goukaku) means "passing," "success," or "acceptance." The combination creates the negative meaning "not passing" or "failure."