How to say "phony" in Japanese

• 偽にせCommon
  no-adjectiveThe common, general word for something that is not what it claims to be: an imitation, fake, or counterfeit. Choose this when phony simply means fake.
  それは贋にせの真珠しんじゅにすぎない。↗

  It is merely an imitation pearl.
• フォニー
  nounA direct borrowing of English 'phony' with the same range of meaning. It is less common and seldom the word you need; use it only when you deliberately want the loanword itself.
• まやかし
  no-adjectiveEmphasizes deception or make-believe: something that is a sham, deceiving people about what it really is. A less common word, suited to the 'it's all trickery' side of phony.
• なんちゃって
  prenominal modifierFor the pretend or ersatz sense: something that apes the real thing without being it. Less common, it carries a playful, joking shade, fitting a lighthearted pretend version more than a serious fake.
  その制服せいふく、前カノまえかのになんちゃって女子高生じょしこうせいプレイさせるために買かってたもんなんてバレたら・・・。↗

  If she finds out that that uniform was one I bought to get my former girlfriend to be a pretend 'high school girl' ...

偽 is the common all-purpose word for fakes and counterfeits, 「まやかし」 covers deception or make-believe, 「なんちゃって」 adds a playful pretend or ersatz shade, and 「フォニー」 is a less common loanword you will seldom need.

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

• 偽にせimitation
• フォニーphony
• まやかしdeception
• なんちゃってersatz