How to say "opaque" in Japanese

• 不透明ふとうめいCommon
  na-adjectiveCovers both senses: the literal one of not letting light through (including turbid liquids) and the figurative 'murky, obscure' one of unclear motives or prospects; as the common word, it is the usual choice.
• オペーク
  nounA direct borrowing of the English word, covering the literal light-blocking sense; it is less common, and for the figurative sense of something hard to see through, 不透明 is the word you want.
• 不明瞭ふめいりょう
  na-adjective, nounReally means 'unclear, indistinct'; its 'opaque' is the figurative sense of something lacking clarity, such as vague statements or indistinct images. For the physical light-blocking sense it is seldom the word you want — use 不透明.
  式しきに余分よぶんの変数へんすうを加くわえたことによって、この実験じっけん結果けっかは不明瞭ふめいりょうなものになっている。↗

  The result of this experiment is obscured by the extra variables added in the formula.

Use 不透明 for both the physical sense (light cannot pass through, turbid liquids) and the figurative 'murky, obscure' one; 「オペーク」 is the less common direct loanword, while 不明瞭 really means 'unclear, indistinct' rather than opaque.

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

• 不透明ふとうめいopaque
• オペークopaque
• 不明瞭ふめいりょうunclear