不具合（ふぐあい、fuguai）
- defect/trouble

The Japanese word 不具合, pronounced ふぐあい (fuguai), generally means "problem," "defect," "malfunction," "error," or "issue." It describes something that isn't working correctly, is not in the desired state, or is causing difficulties. It can be used for a wide range of situations, from technical issues with machinery and software to problems with someone's health or condition. The core concept is something being "not in a good state" or "improper." Think of it as a general term covering various types of problems. When something has a 不具合, it indicates there's a deviation from the expected or normal function.

⚫︎このパソコンは不具合がある。 Translation: This computer has a problem. ⚫︎製品に不具合が見つかりました。 Translation: A defect was found in the product. ⚫︎体調に不具合を感じています。 Translation: I feel unwell.

You can use 不具合 in both formal and informal situations. It's a relatively neutral term. It's suitable for discussing problems with technical equipment, software, manufacturing defects, or even someone's physical condition. You can use it when reporting problems, describing issues, or investigating causes of malfunctions. Be mindful of the context when using it, because while it is a relatively neutral word, it is more commonly used in technical fields or formal conversations.

不具合 is typically written in kanji as 不具合. The reading is ふぐあい in hiragana. It is not common to write this in katakana. There are no significant variations in okurigana (the suffix hiragana) for this word.

⚫︎ 問題 (もんだい - mondai): problem, issue ⚫︎ 欠陥 (けっかん - kekkan): defect, flaw ⚫︎ 故障 (こしょう - koshou): breakdown, malfunction ⚫︎ エラー (eraa): error (loanword) ⚫︎ 異常 (いじょう - ijou): abnormality

⚫︎ 正常 (せいじょう - seijou): normal, regular ⚫︎ 問題なし (もんだいなし - mondai nashi): no problem ⚫︎ 良好 (りょうこう - ryoukou): favorable, good

ソフトウェアに不具合が発生し、システムが停止しました。 ・Translation: A malfunction occurred in the software, and the system stopped. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a technical problem where the software has a 不具合 causing the system to stop working.

この新製品は、いくつかの不具合が報告されています。 ・Translation: Several problems have been reported with this new product. ・Explanation: This sentence indicates that the new product has some issues or defects.

The word 不具合 is composed of the following: 不 (fu) meaning "not," "un-," or "in-," and 具合 (guai) meaning "condition," "state," or "how things are." Therefore, 不具合 literally means "not good condition" or "something is wrong with the condition," thus fitting the meaning of problem, defect, or malfunction.