How to say "temptation" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 誘惑ゆうわくnoun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers temptation in its fullest sense: an enticement or lure that pulls you toward something, often with the feeling that yielding would be wrong; the word for resisting temptation.
- 誘いさそいnounReally means an invitation or a solicitation; as 'temptation' it is the pull of being asked along somewhere, and it is seldom the word you want for temptation in general.
Use 誘惑 for temptation in the usual sense, a pull toward something you should resist; 「誘い」 is really an invitation or solicitation, and fits only when the temptation is someone's call to join in.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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