もったいない
 

Hi,

Just wondering if someone could try and explain something to me that I've been thinking about.

I was talking with a couple of friends the other night and one of them was talking about a guy she kind of likes. She said something about him being single but then said "もったいない" about the situation.

Now, I know the normal meaning about waste and that kind of thing. But it doesn't seem to fit here at all. So I just wanted to ask if there is a different meaning when talking about a guy/girl or if there is a sort of slang meaning.

Thanks a lot for any help.

Rongu taimu no shee.

It is actually related to "wasteful" and it is not a slang usage.

This usage of もったいない is often heard in compliments. She is saying that the guy is too good/nice/attractive to be single. In other words, she is saying those positive qualities of his are being wasted because he chooses to stay single.

Other similar examples:
1. If you take a job as a waiter when you have a Master's degree in engineering, people might call this situation もったいない. (Skills being wasted.)

2. If someone tells you that you are very sophisticated, intelligent, sexy, etc. when in reality, you are just a boring, regular guy, you may say to that person 「ボクにはもったいないお言葉です。」. 　(Nice words being wasted.)

That is such a good phrase! I need to learn only self-humbling phrases from now on. I'll come across as a much nicer Japanese speaker than I do when I speak English ;)

Masaegu,

Thanks again for you help.

I think I get it now. It seems logical now to think of it as being kind of like "he shouldn't waste what he has" or "it's wasteful for him to not be with me".
I was just associating it with recycling and that whole idea of not wasting food...so it wasn't making a great deal of sense. It's interesting to know it can be used in that other way in compliments like that and about people's activities or qualities.

Thanks again

Makes me think of how in English, some girls say, "all the hot guys are gay, what a waste!" :D

As a straight, hot guy, I have to say: only dumb girls say that ;)