How to say "fool" in Japanese

• アホCommon
  noun, na-adjectiveColloquial word for a fool, often used teasingly rather than as a harsh insult; strongly associated with western Japan, where it is a milder, more familiar alternative to ばか.
  マルチするなアホ。↗

  Don't multi-post, idiot.
• ばかJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe general word for a fool or idiot, covering most senses of the English noun; it works both as a blunt insult and in self-deprecating remarks about one's own foolish behavior.
  こんな荒あれ模様もようの日ひに外出がいしゅつするなんて君きみは馬鹿ばかだよ。↗

  You are an idiot to go out in this weather.
• ぼけCommon
  nounA fool or idiot, often with a nuance of slowness or senility; it can be harsh when aimed at an older person, and in Kansai speech it serves as a teasing insult like アホ.
  あんな二股ふたまたかける女おんななんか忘わすれたわ、ボケ。↗

  Idiot, I've forgotten that two-timing bitch.
• 欺くあざむくJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb, not a word for a foolish person: it means to fool someone in the sense of deceiving or tricking them, so use it when 'fool' is an action.
  私をあざむこうとしてもむだです。↗

  It is no use trying to deceive me.
• タコCommon
  nounLiterally 'octopus,' this colloquial word is a mild, jocular insult for a fool, heard especially in Osaka-area banter; it is not a neutral way to describe someone as foolish.

When 'fool' means a foolish person, 「ばか」 is the general choice, with 「アホ」, 「ぼけ」, and 「タコ」 as colloquial or nuance-specific alternatives; when it is a verb meaning to deceive, use 「欺く」.

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

• あほfool
• ばかidiot
• ぼけfool
• 欺くあざむくto deceive
• フールfool
• こけfolly
• 愚か者おろかものfool
• 愚者ぐしゃfool
• 愚人ぐじんfool
• 愚物ぐぶつfool
• あんぽんたんfool
• うつけ者うつけものfool
• おたんこなすfool
• あほんだらfool
• 馬鹿者ばかものfool
• 抜け作ぬけさくfool
• 小馬鹿こばかfool
• 痴れ者しれものfool
• あほたれfool
• おたんちんfool
• だらずfool
• とんまidiot
• すっとこどっこいstupid idiot
• 痴人ちじんdunce
• 半端者はんぱものhalfwit
• うすのろhalf-wit
• 痴ちfoolishness
• 大ボケおおボケgreat idiot
• ふざくto frolic
• たーけidiot
• うましかidiot
• ばかちんidiot
• とんちきnumbskull
• たわけ者たわけものidiot
• 戯け者おどけものidiot
• こっけい者こっけいしゃidiot
• くるくるぱーdummy
• たこfool
• 間抜けまぬけfool
• 痴呆ちほうstupidity
• 木偶でくblockhead
• 鼻毛はなげfool
• べらぼうfool
• たわけfool
• 与太よたfool
• うつけfool
• 薄ぼんやりうすぼんやりfool
• くらますto deceive
• すかたんidiot
• 暗穴あんけつidiot
• 鼻毛を抜くはなげをぬくto outwit
• ぼんやりabsence of mind