dark · obscure

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 昧 has 9 strokes and the on-reading まい; 曖昧 is read あいまい.
• Basic usage: 曖昧 describes meaning or an attitude that is unclear or insufficiently definite.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• An unclear reply and modifying a noun
  • 返事が曖昧だった means that the reply was ambiguous. Its meaning was unclear enough to require checking again.
  • 曖昧な表現 means vague wording, with な connecting to the noun. It appears in the context of rewriting a contract more clearly.