How to say "calculating" in Japanese

• 打算的ださんてきCommon
  na-adjectiveCovers 'calculating' as a character trait: someone who weighs every move for personal advantage, cold and self-interested rather than sincere. Typical of talk about business dealings or relationships.
  あいつはとても打算的ださんてきだ。↗

  He is very mercenary.
• 現金げんきんJLPT N3approx.Common
  na-adjectiveCovers the calculating sense where kindness tracks immediate profit: warm to people while they are useful, cool once they are not. The same word also means 'cash'.
• しょっぱいCommon
  i-adjectiveFamiliar as 'salty' and usually written in kana; its 'calculating' use is really the stingy, penny-pinching sense — a person reluctant to spend — not the scheming, self-interested one.

Use 打算的 for the scheming, self-interested sense of 'calculating'; 現金 for warmth that depends on immediate personal gain; 「しょっぱい」 only for the stingy, penny-pinching side.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 打算的ださんてきcalculating
• あざといcalculating
• 勘定高いかんじょうだかいcalculating
• 計算高いけいさんだかいcalculating
• 欲得ずくよくとくずくcarrying out mercenary deeds
• がめついgreedy
• 現金げんきんmercenary
• しょっぱいcalculating
• がっちりshrewd
• 世知辛いせちがらいstingy