Looking up...
無学
mugaku
uneducated or unlearned
彼は無学なため、難しい本を読むのが苦手だ。
He struggles to read difficult books because he is uneducated.
formal
Lacking education or knowledge, especially in a formal or academic sense.
無学な人でも努力すれば成功できる。
Even an uneducated person can succeed with effort.
Often used to describe someone who lacks formal education or academic knowledge.
Pro Tip
Politeness
When discussing someone's lack of education, it's often more polite to use more neutral terms like '学問がない' (lacking in education).
Word Origin
Composed of 無 (mu, 'no') and 学 (gaku, 'learning' or 'education').
Usage Notes
This term can be somewhat derogatory if used to describe someone directly. It is often used in a more neutral or descriptive way when discussing historical or societal contexts.
Word Breakdown
無
no
prefix学
learning or education
root和英辞典