How to say "dishonest" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- i-adjectiveCovers 'dishonest' as sly and sneaky: a person who tricks, cheats, or bends the rules for personal gain. Typical of complaints about a classmate who copies answers or a colleague who takes credit.
- 不純ふじゅんna-adjective, nounSeldom the word you want for 'dishonest': it really means impure or adulterated, and suits only the sense of dishonest motives — intentions that are impure — rather than dishonest people or deeds.
Use 「ずるい」 for dishonesty as sneaky, crafty behavior — someone who tricks or cheats to gain an advantage; 不純 is not a general word for dishonest, fitting only the sense of impure motives.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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