ずるい・狡いzurui[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. i-adjectivesly; cunning; sneaky; crafty; unfair; dishonest
   狐きつねは他たのどんな動物どうぶつよりもずるいということだ。↗

   It is said that the fox is more cunning than any other animal.
2. i-adjectivemiserly; mean; stingy

• Synonym悪賢いわるがしこいNeutralCleverness turned to bad ends; adept at scheming. 「狡い」 is more colloquial and also covers unfairness.
• Synonymずる賢いずるがしこいNeutralSly and crafty; puts more emphasis than 「狡い」 on cleverness used for crooked ends.
• Synonym狡猾こうかつWrittenWritten/formal prose word for sly, crafty cunning. 「狡い」 is the more colloquial choice.
• Synonym老獪ろうかいWrittenThe craftiness of an old fox; stresses shrewdness gained through experience. 「狡い」 is broader.
• Related汚いきたないNeutralSaid of dirty, low-down methods. 「狡い」 stresses taking advantage and unfairness.
• Related陰険いんけんNeutralSinister and scheming behind the scenes; stresses malice. 「狡い」 stresses taking advantage.
• RelatedこすっからいCasualColloquial: shrewdly sly and fond of grabbing petty advantages.
• RelatedトリッキーNeutralLoanword for full of tricks and hard to predict, also sly, hard-to-read methods; mostly of tactics and techniques, while 「狡い」 is mostly of people taking advantage.
• Related怜悧狡猾れいりこうかつWrittenFour-character compound for shrewd and crafty; written/formal prose usage.
• RelatedこすからいCasualColloquial: sly and fond of petty advantage; the same word as 「こすっからい」.
• Related欺瞞的ぎまんてきWrittenDeceptive or fraudulent; written/formal prose. 「狡い」 is the more colloquial word.
• Related姦譎かんきつWrittenRare, written/formal prose word for wicked deceit; 「狡猾」 is the usual choice.
• Related不正直ふしょうじきNeutralDishonesty stated as an objective quality; 「狡い」 carries emotional charge.
• Related枉惑おうわくWrittenRare, written/formal prose word for tricks that deceive or mislead; in everyday speech say 「ずるい」.
• Antonym正直しょうじきNeutralHonest and frank; the opposite of 「狡い」 in its sly, cunning sense.
• Antonym誠実せいじつNeutralSincere and true to one's word; the opposite of 「狡い」.

Use 「狡い」 for taking advantage, unfairness or petty cleverness, as in 「ずるい！」. In written or formal prose use 「狡猾」; for the craftiness of an old hand use 「老獪」; for sinister malice use 「陰険」; for honesty use 「正直」.

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

1. 自分じぶんの利益りえきのためにごまかして上手うまく立ち回たちまわるさま。