小細工|こざいくkozaiku[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. nounintricate workmanship; delicate handiwork
2. nouncheap trick; petty trick; obvious stratagem

• Synonym細工さいくNeutralThe broader base word: fine handiwork or secret tampering, as in 「細工をする」. Unlike 「小細工」 it has no nuance of pettiness.
• Related仕掛けしかけNeutralA device or mechanism set up in advance, or a prepared trap, as in 「仕掛け花火」. Points to the contrivance itself, not a petty ploy.
• Related企みたくらみWrittenWritten style: a scheme or plot hatched in secret. Focuses on the bad idea being schemed, not a small trick.
• Related謀略ぼうりゃくFormalFormal: stratagems for trapping or outwitting others, common in politics and war. 「小細工」 is a petty trick that gets you nowhere.
• Related策略さくりゃくNeutralA stratagem laid to gain an advantage or get the better of someone; the focus is on what it wins, while 「小細工」 is a small dodge that skirts the real issue.
• Related策謀さくぼうWrittenWritten style: scheming and intrigue, with a flavor of maneuvering for power.
• Related罠わなNeutralA trap: literally for catching animals, figuratively a snare laid to harm someone.
• RelatedトリックCasualLoanword, colloquial: a trick or ruse, mostly in magic acts and mystery fiction.
• Related奸計かんけいFormalFormal: a wicked, treacherous plot. Far more serious than the petty tricks of 「小細工」.
• RelatedからくりNeutralA hidden mechanism or device, or the inside story or knack behind something, as in 「からくりを見破る」. Common in speech too.
• Related悪巧みわるだくみCasualColloquial: secretly plotting something bad; a sinister scheme hatched on the sly.
• Related計略けいりゃくWrittenWritten style: a planned stratagem, with weight on the plotting itself.
• Related術策じゅっさくWrittenWritten and rare: political maneuvering and schemes.
• Related詭計きけいFormalFormal and rare: tricks for deceiving and ensnaring people.
• Related詭謀きぼうFormalFormal and rare: cunning, sly deception.
• Related術計じゅっけいWrittenWritten and rare: stratagems and means to an end.
• Related術数じゅっすうWrittenWritten: scheming and maneuvering; can also mean the arts of divination.
• Related謀計ぼうけいWrittenWritten and rare: an evil plot planned in secret.

Use 「小細工」 for petty, clever tricks that never fix the real problem, as in 「小細工を弄する」 or 「小細工は通用しない」. For handiwork or tampering, use 「細工」; for set-up devices or hidden mechanisms, 「仕掛け」 and 「絡繰り」; for snares, 「罠」. To outwit or trap someone, use 「謀略」 or 「策略」; other schemes include 「企み」, 「悪巧み」, 「策謀」, 「計略」, and the formal 「奸計」, 「詭計」, 「詭謀」. 「トリック」 is a colloquial loanword for magic and mystery-fiction tricks; 「術策」「術計」「謀計」 are rare written words, and 「術数」, also written, can mean divination as well.

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

1. ちょっとした細工さいく。細こまかい細工さいく。
2. 根本的こんぽんてきなことを考かんがえないようなつまらない策略さくりゃく。