How to Say "Euphemism" in Japanese

婉曲表現

enkyoku hyōgen

To say euphemism in Japanese, use 婉曲表現 (enkyoku hyōgen).

婉曲表現 is the standard term for a word or phrase used in place of a more direct one. A familiar example is お手洗い, a polite word for the restroom.

Meaning: word or phrase that is used to replace another in this way (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

婉曲 (enkyoku) means indirect or roundabout and 表現 (hyōgen) means expression.

婉曲表現 is the technical term. In daily conversation people often say 遠回しな言い方, a roundabout way of speaking. 婉曲な表現 means an indirect expression.

It is romanized enkyoku hyōgen, with a long o in the second word.

In Japanese business culture, the phrase 検討します ('kentō shimasu') is a common 婉曲表現 that literally means 'I will consider it' but often functions as a polite way to say 'no'.
The social skill needed to decode a 婉曲表現 is called 空気を読む ('kuuki wo yomu'), which literally translates to 'reading the air'.
The term 婉曲 (enkyoku) contains the character 曲 which means 'bend' or 'curve'. This suggests that a euphemism is a way of 'bending' the truth or the directness of a sentence to avoid a sharp edge.

これは丁寧な婉曲表現です。
Kore wa teinei na enkyoku hyōgen desu.
This is a polite euphemism.
婉曲表現を使うべき場面もあります。
Enkyoku hyōgen o tsukau beki bamen mo arimasu.
There are situations where one should use euphemisms.
その言葉は婉曲表現として使われています。
Sono kotoba wa enkyoku hyōgen to shite tsukawarete imasu.
That word is being used as a euphemism.

Himari and Ren are studying Japanese linguistics together.

陽葵 Himari

この言い方は婉曲表現かな？
Kono iikata wa enkyoku hyōgen kana?
I wonder if this way of saying it is a euphemism?
蓮 Ren

うん、直接的な表現を避けているね。
Un, chokusetsutekina hyōgen o sakete iru ne.
Yeah, it avoids a direct expression.
陽葵 Himari

やっぱり、婉曲表現は難しいね。
Yappari, enkyoku hyōgen wa muzukashii ne.
As I thought, euphemisms are difficult.
蓮 Ren

でも、文化を理解するのに重要だよ。
Demo, bunka o rikai suru no ni jūyō dayo.
But they are important for understanding the culture.

Sources

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