微妙

Let's take a look at another very useful Japanese word, 微妙［びみょう］. Literally it means, subtle, or delicate (usually of a situation). This word is used in daily conversation where a clear yes or no cannot be clearly distinguished.

Let's take a look at a few examples to get a feel for this word.

1. 微妙な違い or subtle difference. As in, there is a subtle difference between half full or half empty.

2. 微妙な感じ as in a strange feeling that is difficult to describe.

Once, a friend who was in the same Japanese class described a delicate hand in Japanese as 微妙な手. Here, it means, "somewhat like a hand." So instead of her intended meaning, it sounded like a description from an autopsy report. We all laughed, but learned a great lesson from this episode.

So, learn to use this word well and you will be surprised how natural your Japanese will sound.