Understanding Japanese: Omoshiroi vs. Interesting

What does ‘omoshiroi’ really mean?

If you listen to a lot of Japanese, you will often hear the word ‘omoshiroi’. It is sometimes translated into English as ‘interesting’, and sometimes as ‘funny’ or ‘amusing’.

So… What does it mean?

If we boil the word ‘omoshiroi’ - おもしろい - down to its core idea, it means that something is mentally stimulating in a pleasurable way. Therefore, a fascinating history book can be ‘omoshiroi’ and so can a Tom & Jerry cartoon that makes you laugh.

This adjective – omoshiroi – shows that something activates your mind in a way that’s enjoyable, and is an umbrella word that includes ‘interesting’, ‘funny’ or, perhaps, ‘intriguing’. It is a very versatile word that can be used to describe a broader range of mental states than the word ‘interesting’, so long as those mental states involve positive engagement of the mind.

So, what is the opposite of ‘omoshiroi’? Is there a Japanese word that describes things that fail to provide enjoyable mental stimulation, a word that can describe things that are either intellectually boring or unfunny? Yes, there is. That word is ‘tsumaranai’.

This word can mean ‘boring’, ‘not funny’ or even ‘trivial’, because trivial things are things we might disregard as they fail to engage our brains or interests in a significant way. A badly written history book might be ‘tsumaranai’, or a joke with a predictable or inept punchline could be described with that same word. A tedious and petty complaint by a coworker could also be called ‘tsumaranai’, if all it deserves is to be ignored.

Here are some examples sentences for the two words ‘omoshiroi’ and ‘tsumaranai’.

OMOSHIROI

1. おもしろい記事を読みました

Omoshiroi kiji o yomimashita

I read an interesting article.

2. おもしろいダジャレを聞きました

Omoshiroi dajare o kikimashita

I heard a funny play on words.

TSUMARANAI

1. その本はつまらない

Sono hon wa tsumaranai

That book is boring.

2. 彼の冗談はつまらない！

Kare no jodan wa tsumaranai!

His jokes suck.

3. 彼は会議でつまらないことを言う

Kare wa kaigi de tsumaranai koto o iu

He says some daft things in company meetings.

If any of my Japanese is wrong here, or you have anything to add, please let me know in the comments. I can always edit this post to improve it!!