Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 欺瞞 | giman | [ɡʲimã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
| ごまかし | gomakashi | [ɡo̞ma̠ka̠ɕi] (narrow) |
| いんちき | inchiki | [ĩɲ̟t͡ɕikʲi] (narrow) |
| 欺騙 | gihen | [kʲihẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
The term refers to instances of actions fabricated to mislead. Depending on the context, you may use different words to describe whether the deception is a legal fraud, a colloquial trick or a formal concept of fraudulence.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 欺瞞 is composed of the kanji 欺 (to deceive) and 瞞 (to mislead).
Which one should you use?
The forms available vary significantly in tone and nuance. 欺瞞 is a formal, academic or literary term for deception, often used in legal, political or philosophical contexts. 欺騙 is another formal way to express deception. For everyday situations, ごまかし is a common, everyday word for deception, often implying the act of glossing over something or tricking someone to avoid trouble. For a slangy or colloquial effect, いんちき is a colloquial or slangy term used to describe something that is fake, dishonest or a scam. Finally, カラクリ is an informal word for deception referring to tricks, deceit or hidden mechanisms.
How do you pronounce it?
giman
Did you know?
- The common word ごまかし for deception is linked to ごま, the word for 'sesame', because the tiny seeds are slippery and hard to pin down.
- While 欺瞞 is a heavy, formal term for deception, the word カラクリ originally referred to complex mechanical contraptions or 'automata' before it became associated with deceptive tricks.
- The kanji 欺 used in the formal word 欺瞞 historically carries a meaning of 'bullying' or 'oppressing' others through unfairness.
Examples in context
- 欺瞞の神、フィナックスPhenax, God of DeceptionThis sentence is useful for seeing how to use 欺瞞 in a title or descriptive phrase.
- 彼女の行動は明らかな 詐欺 だった。Her actions were clearly a deception.
- その取引は大規模な 詐欺 であると疑われている。The transaction is suspected of being a large-scale fraud.
- 彼はいつも面白い カラクリ を考える。He always comes up with interesting tricks.
- その計画は巧妙な欺瞞に基づいている。Sono keikaku wa kōmyō na giman ni motozuite iru.That plan is based on clever deception.
- 彼の言葉には欺瞞が感じられる。Kare no kotoba ni wa giman ga kanjirareru.I can sense deception in his words.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a suspicious business report.
- 陽葵 Himariこの報告書の内容は欺瞞だと思います。Kono houkokusho no naiyou wa giman da to omoimasu.I think the content of this report is a deception.
- 蓮 Ren蓮もそう思う。数字がおかしいね。Ren mo sou omou. Suuji ga okashii ne.I think so too. The numbers are strange.
- 陽葵 Himari誰がこんなことをしたのでしょうか。Dare ga konna koto o shita no deshou ka.I wonder who did such a thing.
- 蓮 Renまずは上司に相談しよう。Mazu wa joushi ni soudan shiyou.Let's talk to the boss first.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “deception” translations and entries 欺瞞, ごまかし, いんちき, 欺騙, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
