勿体無い

From 勿体 (mottai, “shape, form, appearance of a thing”) +‎ 無い (nai, “not, doesn't have”).^[1][2][3][4]

First attested in the early 1200s in a sense of discord from something not being what it should be.^[1]

• (Tokyo) もったいない [mòttáínáꜜì] (Nakadaka – [5])^[3][5]
• IPA^(key): [mo̞t̚ta̠ina̠i]

勿(もっ)体(たい)無(な)い • (mottainai) -i (adverbial 勿(もっ)体(たい)無(な)く (mottainaku))

1. [from roughly 1221] not as expected and consequently regrettable, unreasonable, improper

   Synonyms: 不届き (futodoki, “outrageous, unreasonable”), もってのほか (motte no hoka, “absurd, out of the question, entirely outside expectation”)

2. [from 1378] (in a positive sense) humbling, welcome but overwhelming, too much, too good for one

   彼(かれ)は私(わたし)にはもったいない。

   Kare wa watashi ni wa mottainai.

   He is too good for me.

3. [from late 1300s] (in a negative sense) wasteful, regrettable, such as something useful just sitting there, or the disposal of something still usable

   ご飯(はん)を食(た)べないで捨(す)てるのはもったいないですよ。

   Gohan o tabenaide suteru no wa mottainai desu yo.

   Throwing out food without eating it is a waste.

• This term is often spelled in kana, as もったいない.

勿(もっ)体(たい)無(な)い • (mottainai) 

1. what a waste, what a shame