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🇯🇵Japanese Source WordCode: JA

失言

Native Script:日本語

Pronunciation / Transliteration: shitsugen

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Gaffe/ɡæf/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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🇯🇵 Example Sentence in Japanese:

"彼の公式の場での失言はメディアで大きく取り上げられた。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An inadvertent remark or action causing embarrassment in a social or professional context.

    "The politician made a major gaffe by insulting the local business owners during his opening remarks."
  2. 2

    A blatant mistake or tactical error.

    "Failing to check the budget numbers before submission was a serious gaffe by the finance team."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the French word gaffe, originally meaning 'boat-hook', which shifted metaphorically in the 19th century to mean 'a clumsy blunder' or 'social trip'. The semantic evolution moved from physically grasping blindly with a hook to making a socially awkward or clumsy faux pas.

Quick Vocabulary Retention Check

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Explore Nuanced Synonyms for "Gaffe"

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