Someone who is incompetent does not have the ability or skill to do a job properly. This is mainly an adjective: an incompetent manager, incompetent work.

Someone who is incompetent一個 incompetent 的人 does not have the ability or skill to do a job properly沒有把一件工作做好所需要的能力或技巧。This is mainly an adjective這主要是一個形容詞：an incompetent manager, incompetent workan incompetent manager（不稱職的經理）、incompetent work（做得很差的工作）。

It can also name a person — they replaced the incompetents — but that noun use is very direct and unkind; you hear it in complaints and headlines more than in polite talk. The word is fairly formal, and it is strong.

It can also name a person它也可以指一個人——they replaced the incompetentsthey replaced the incompetents（他們把那些不中用的人換掉了）——but that noun use is very direct and unkind但這種名詞用法非常直接又不客氣；you hear it in complaints and headlines more than in polite talk你會在抱怨和新聞標題裡聽到，而不是在有禮貌的談話裡。The word is fairly formal, and it is strong這個字算是相當正式，而且語氣很重。

Calling a friend incompetent at cooking is possible, but it sounds much harsher than “not very good at cooking.” Though actually, in law, incompetent can mean a person is not able to make legal decisions. Same spelling, a more technical room.

Calling a friend incompetent at cooking is possible說一個朋友做菜 incompetent 是可以的，but it sounds much harsher than "not very good at cooking."但聽起來比「not very good at cooking」（不太會做菜）要重很多。Though actually, in law, incompetent can mean a person is not able to make legal decisions不過其實，在法律上，incompetent 可能是指一個人沒有能力做出法律上的決定。Same spelling, a more technical room拼法一樣，但用在比較專業的場合。

For school and work, think “not able to do this job well.” The opposite idea is competent.

For school and work, think "not able to do this job well."在學校和工作場合，就想成「沒辦法把這件事做好」。The opposite idea is competent相反的意思是 competent（能勝任的）。