How to say "lure" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe concrete noun for a fishing lure — an artificial bait used to attract fish. This is the word you want for angling contexts, not for abstract enticement.
- 誘惑ゆうわくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbTemptation or enticement: something that draws a person toward desire, indulgence, or wrongdoing. Covers luring someone morally or emotionally, as in resisting the lure of easy money.
- 誘致ゆうちnoun, suru verb, transitive verbAttracting or inviting people, businesses, or events to a place, as in luring tourists, industry, or a conference to a city. An institutional or economic sense of 'lure', not personal temptation.
- 誘い出すさそいだすgodan verb, transitive verbThe verb 'to lure (out)': coaxing or enticing someone out or into coming forth. Use this when you need a verbal expression, such as luring an animal or a person out of hiding.
- 魅惑みわくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbFascination or captivation — the alluring charm something exerts. Closer to 'bewitching appeal' than deliberate enticement; often a marginal choice where 誘惑 is the more natural word for 'lure'.
Use 「ルアー」 for fishing lures, 誘惑 for tempting someone or something enticing, 誘致 for attracting visitors or investment, 「誘い出す」 for the verb 'to lure out', and 魅惑 for captivation or charm.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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