How to say "dangerous" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- i-adjectiveThe colloquial everyday word for something being dangerous or risky; it fits casual conversation but sounds out of place in formal writing or polite public speech. Beyond danger, it also serves as vague slang for anything 'bad' or 'awful'.
- 危ないあぶないi-adjectiveThe everyday word for actual, immediate danger — a slippery road, a wobbly ladder — and it doubles as a shouted warning meaning 'Look out!'. When you simply mean 'dangerous', this is usually the word you want.
- 危ういあやういi-adjectiveDescribes a person or situation that is in danger, on the brink of something bad — a life in peril, a near miss. It points to imminent danger rather than to an object that is hazardous.
- 物騒ぶっそうna-adjective, nounFor a state of affairs that feels unsafe or unsettling — a neighborhood with break-ins, troubled times — rather than a single immediate hazard. It conveys an atmosphere of danger more than physical risk.地震の後、この辺りは物騒だ。↗After the earthquake the neighbourhood felt insecure.
- i-adjectiveFor risk that hangs by a thread: a borderline, touch-and-go situation where the margin for error is razor-thin, such as a stunt that nearly goes wrong. Usually written in kana alone.
Use 「危ない」 for everyday immediate danger and warnings, 「やばい」 for the same idea in casual speech, 「危うい」 for being on the brink of disaster, 物騒 for an unsettling, unsafe atmosphere, and 「きわどい」 for borderline, touch-and-go risk.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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