How to say "sly" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- i-adjectiveCovers sly in the sense of sneaky and unfair: the common everyday word for someone who cheats, cuts corners, or bends the rules to gain an edge. It stresses unfairness more than cleverness.
- ずる賢いずるがしこいi-adjectiveSly with an added shade of cleverness: deviously shrewd, combining sneakiness with real cunning. Fits someone who schemes and outwits others rather than merely cheating or being unfair.
- 陰湿いんしつna-adjective, nounSeldom the word you want for sly: it really means malicious and spiteful, describing underhanded nastiness aimed at hurting people rather than clever trickery. Use it only for that spiteful sense.
- 悪賢いわるがしこいi-adjectiveCunning with a wicked edge: sly and wily in a blameworthy way. The written form pairs 'bad' with 'clever,' so it suits a crafty schemer whose shrewdness serves bad ends.
Choose 「ずるい」 for plain sneaky unfairness, 「ずる賢い」 for sly cleverness and scheming, 「悪賢い」 for cunning with a wicked edge, and 陰湿 only for malicious spite rather than slyness.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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