Meaning
未 means "not yet" — the state before something happens or is completed. As a prefix, it works like the English un- or non-: 未完成 means "unfinished," 未確認 means "unconfirmed." You'll find it throughout formal Japanese — news reports, legal texts, academic writing.
The shape has a story. 未 is thought to be a pictograph of a tree (木) with an extra branch at the top. Where 木 shows a balanced, mature tree, 未 shows one still reaching upward — branches growing, not yet settled. Incompleteness written into the wood itself.
未 also means the future (as in 未来, みらい). Historically, it's the eighth sign of the Chinese zodiac — the Ram or Goat — and in traditional timekeeping covered the hours from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.
Written with 5 strokes, 未 is taught in Grade 4 of Japanese elementary school. Its radical is 木. One detail to get right: in 未, the upper horizontal stroke is longer — the opposite of 木, where the lower stroke is longer. Mix these up and you've written the wrong kanji.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
One on'yomi: ミ (mi). It sits at the front of compound words (熟語, じゅくご), acting as a negating prefix. In formal and written Japanese, this is the reading you'll see most.
- 未来 (mirai) — the future
- 未知 (michi) — unknown; not yet known
- 未定 (mitei) — undecided; not yet determined
- 未満 (miman) — less than; under (a certain number or age)
- 未成年 (miseinen) — a minor; someone under legal age
Once you know ミ means "not yet," many compound words become readable at a glance.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Two kun'yomi: いまだ (imada) and its contracted form まだ (mada). Both mean "not yet" or "still," used as standalone adverbs.
- 未に (imada ni) — still; even now (formal, literary)
- 未だ (mada) — not yet; still (everyday speech)
まだ is one of the most common words in spoken Japanese. Short answers like まだです (Not yet.) and sentences like まだ食べていない (I haven't eaten yet.) come up constantly. いまだに belongs to formal writing — or to moments when you want to stress that something has dragged on far longer than it should have.
Common Words & Compounds
未 shows up in many compound words. Here are the key ones, grouped by theme.
Time and the Future
- 未来 (mirai) — the future
- 未定 (mitei) — not yet decided; TBD
- 未発表 (mihappyō) — not yet announced; unreleased
Knowledge and Discovery
- 未知 (michi) — unknown; uncharted
- 未確認 (mikakunin) — unconfirmed (e.g., 未確認飛行物体 = UFO)
- 未解決 (mikaiketsu) — unsolved; unresolved
Completion and Development
- 未完成 (mikansei) — incomplete; unfinished
- 未完 (mikan) — unfinished (used for literary or artistic works)
- 未熟 (mijuku) — immature; inexperienced; unripe
- 未発達 (mihatatsu) — underdeveloped
Legal and Social Status
- 未成年 (miseinen) — a minor; under legal age
- 未婚 (mikon) — unmarried; single
- 未経験 (mikeiken) — no experience; inexperienced
Quantity
- 未満 (miman) — less than; under (exclusive, e.g., 18歳未満 = under 18)
Set Phrases
- 前代未聞 (zendai mimon) — unprecedented; unheard of in history
Example Sentences
彼女はまだ宿題が終わっていない。
Kanojo wa mada shukudai ga owatte inai.
She hasn't finished her homework yet.
未来のことは誰にも分からない。
Mirai no koto wa dare ni mo wakaranai.
Nobody knows what the future holds.
この問題はまだ未解決だ。
Kono mondai wa mada mikaiketsu da.
This problem is still unsolved.
18歳未満の方はご入場いただけません。
Jūhassai miman no kata wa go-nyūjō itadakemasen.
Those under 18 are not permitted to enter.
その映画はまだ未発表です。
Sono eiga wa mada mihappyō desu.
That film hasn't been announced yet.
宇宙には未知の生物がいるかもしれない。
Uchū ni wa michi no seibutsu ga iru kamo shirenai.
There may be unknown life forms in outer space.
この絵は画家が亡くなる前に未完のまま残された。
Kono e wa gaka ga nakunaru mae ni mikan no mama nokosareta.
This painting was left unfinished when the artist died.
彼は未経験でも、とても熱心に働く。
Kare wa mikeiken demo, totemo nesshin ni hataraku.
No experience, but he works with real dedication.
あの事件は前代未聞の出来事だった。
Ano jiken wa zendai mimon no dekigoto datta.
That incident was truly unprecedented.
Memory Tip
Put 未 next to 木. In 木, the lower horizontal stroke is longer — a mature tree, roots spread wide. In 未, the upper stroke is longer — branches pushing upward, still growing. Not done yet.
Meaning follows shape. When you spot 未 in an unfamiliar word, that image comes back: a tree still reaching, not yet where it's going. Not yet. Future. Incomplete.