How to say "fancy" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 好みこのみno-adjectiveCovers 'fancy' in the sense of one's liking or taste, as in having a fancy for something. It refers to personal preference — what someone takes a liking to or is fond of.
- 空想くうそうsuru verb, transitive verb, no-adjectiveCovers 'fancy' as imagination or fantasy — the mental pictures and daydreams one conjures up. Use it when 'fancy' means the imaginative faculty or something merely imagined rather than real.
- 気まぐれきまぐれnounCovers 'fancy' as a whim or caprice — a changeable, unpredictable mood or impulse. It emphasizes fickleness, doing something simply because the mood strikes, as in acting on a fancy.
- 思いつきおもいつきnounCovers 'fancy' as a passing idea or impulse — something that comes to mind on the spur of the moment, like a plan conceived on a fancy. It stresses the idea itself more than changeable mood.
- 豪華ごうかna-adjective, nounThis is only marginally about 'fancy': it really means extravagant, lavish or luxurious, as in a fancy hotel or a fancy meal. It is the word for the 'fancy' that describes something showily expensive, not a whim or liking.
'Fancy' as a liking or taste is 「好み」, as imagination or daydream it is 空想, as a whim or passing impulse it is 「気まぐれ」 or 「思いつき」, and as lavishness it is 豪華.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
