How to say "trick" in Japanese

• 騙すだますJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb for actively deceiving someone — fooling, conning, or swindling them. Use it when a person is tricked, whether to take their money or simply lead them astray.
  私は彼女かのじょの約束やくそくにだまされた。↗

  I was taken in by her promise.
• トリックCommon
  nounThe katakana loanword for a trick as a thing or device: a magic trick, or the ingenious mechanism behind a crime in mystery fiction. It is a noun, not a verb.
• いたずらJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verb, intransitive verbA prank or mischief — the playful sense of trick, especially children's practical jokes. Usually written in kana alone. It is not the word for deceiving someone or for the mechanism of a scheme.
  少年しょうねんたちは時々ときどき先生せんせいにいたずらしたものだった。↗

  Sometimes the boys would play a trick on their teacher.
• 手口てぐちCommon
  nounThe method or technique behind a trick, especially a criminal one — the 'how' of a scam. Choose it when discussing how a trick was done, not the act of tricking someone.
• 欺くあざむくJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb meaning to deceive, delude, or fool someone, closely overlapping with 騙す. Either is a legitimate verb for tricking a person; 欺く emphasizes making someone believe something untrue.
  私をあざむこうとしてもむだです。↗

  It is no use trying to deceive me.

Use 「騙す」 or 「欺く」 when tricking means deceiving a person, 「トリック」 for a trick as a device such as a magic trick or a mystery-plot device, 「いたずら」 for playful pranks, and 手口 for the method behind a criminal trick.

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

• 騙すだますto trick
• トリックtrick
• いたずらmischief
• 手口てぐちmodus operandi
• 欺くあざむくto deceive
• 術中じゅっちゅうtrick
• 策略さくりゃくstratagem
• 企みたくらみplot
• 詐欺さぎfraud
• 秘訣ひけつsecret (method, trick, etc.)
• 謀略ぼうりゃくscheme
• 謀はかりごとplan
• こつknack
• 機巧きこうtrick
• たぶらかすto trick
• だまくらかすto trick
• 一芝居ひとしばいtrick
• だまかすto trick
• 芸当げいとうperformance
• 悪巧みわるだくみwiles
• 詭謀きぼうruse
• 悪計あっけいplot
• 術計じゅっけいstratagem
• 瞞着手段まんちゃくしゅだんruse
• 陥れるおとしいれるto trap (into a difficult situation)
• 計略けいりゃくplan
• 座興ざきょうentertainment (at a party)
• 呼吸こきゅうknack
• 術じゅつstratagem
• 罠わなtrap
• 仕掛けしかけtrick
• 細工さいくartifice
• 要領ようりょうknack
• 偽るいつわるto deceive
• 狂言きょうげんmake-believe
• 匠たくみplot
• 巧みたくみplot
• からくりtrick
• かすめるto deceive
• 引っ掛けひっかけsnare
• 手事てごとwiles (e.g. used by a prostitute to lure customers)
• はめ込むはめこむto entrap
• 手てmeans
• 図るはかるto deceive
• 食わすくわすto deceive
• 食わせるくわせるto deceive
• 落とし込むおとしこむto entice
• ねた(magician's) trick