UKKA-RI うっかり
Meanings
・Describes doing or forgetting something unintentionally because your attention slips, you are absent-minded, or you fail to notice something you normally would.
Examples
・I accidentally forgot to take my medicine.
うっかり薬を飲み忘れてしまった。
・I was absent-minded and forgot my grandfather’s birthday.
うっかりして祖父の誕生日を忘れていた。
・I had just started a diet, but out of habit I accidentally ordered extra toppings.
ダイエットを始めたのに、いつもの癖で、うっかりトッピングを頼んでしまった。
・I got drunk and accidentally told my boss what I really thought.
酔っ払ってうっかり上司に真実を話してしまった。
Dogmatic Opinion
UKKA-RI is used when you forget or overlook something that you would normally remember or notice, often because your attention was elsewhere. The lapse then leads to an inconvenience, mistake, or embarrassing result.
The action is inherently unintentional. You cannot deliberately do something UKKA-RI. It often suggests the kind of mistake you normally would not make, but made this time because your attention wandered or you let your guard down.
Proximate Expression
Absentmindeldly
inadvertently
accidentall
let slip
blab
Related Words
For Japanese Learners
Depending on the sentence, accidentally, inadvertently, absent-mindedly, or by mistake may work. The key point is lack of intention. “うっかり薬を飲み忘れた” can be “I accidentally forgot to take my medicine.” “うっかり秘密を話した” can be “I accidentally let the secret slip.”
