Wikipedia has an article on: Mottainai Wikipedia From <span class="searchmatch">勿体</span> (mottai, “shape, form, appearance of a thing”) + <span class="searchmatch">無い</span> (nai, “not, doesn't have”). First attested in the...
【<span class="searchmatch">勿体</span><span class="searchmatch">無い</span>】 [adjective] [from roughly 1221] not as expected and consequently regrettable, unreasonable, improper [adjective] [from 1378] (in a positive sense)...
For pronunciation and definitions of 勿體<span class="searchmatch">無い</span> – see the following entry. (This term, 勿體<span class="searchmatch">無い</span>, is the kyūjitai of the above term.)...