偽善者
gizensha[ɡʲizẽ̞ɰ̃ɕa̠]
The English word "hypocrite" can be translated into Japanese as 偽善者 (gizensha) or 偽君子.
Meaning: person practising hypocrisy (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 偽善者 | gizensha | [ɡʲizẽ̞ɰ̃ɕa̠] (narrow) |
| 偽君子 | gikunshi | [ɡʲikɯ̟̃ɰ̃ɕi] (narrow) |
Both terms refer to a person practicing hypocrisy, but they carry different nuances regarding what the person is pretending to be.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 偽善者 is composed of 偽 (false/fake), 善 (goodness/virtue) and 者 (person).
Which one should you use?
偽善者 is the common way to express 'hypocrite' and specifically implies someone who pretends to be virtuous or kind, or displays 'fake goodness'. In contrast, 偽君子 is a more literary or formal term used often in written works or classical contexts. It carries a nuance of a person who pretends to be a gentleman or a person of high moral character.
How do you pronounce it?
gizensha
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the concept of 偽善 (hypocrisy) is often contrasted with 本音 (true feelings) and 建前 (public face). While 'tatemae' is a social necessity, calling someone a 偽善者 implies they have crossed the line from social politeness into moral deception.
- The term 偽君子 is the direct antonym of 君子, a 'noble man' or 'exemplary person' from Confucian philosophy. While a 君子 is a genuine moral leader, a 偽君子 is a predatory person masking their nature with a fake scholarly air.
- In Japanese, if you want to call someone a 'fake' in a more slangy, derogatory way, you might use 偽物 (nisemono), which literally means 'a counterfeit object'.
Examples in context
- 僕は、偽善者なんかじゃない。I'm not a hypocrite.This sentence is useful for practicing a negative self-identification with 偽善者.Tatoeba #10606915 by small_snow, translation #3823639 by CK
- 率直に言えば、彼は愛国者というよりはむしろ偽善者だ。Frankly speaking, he is more of a hypocrite than a patriot.This sentence is useful for comparing a person's character using 偽善者.Tatoeba #78303 by mookeee, translation #325414 by CM
- あの人は、口ではいいことを言う偽善者だ。Ano hito wa, kuchi de wa ii koto o iu gizensha da.That person is a hypocrite who says nice things only with their mouth.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a coworker who pretends to be kind.
- 大翔 Hiroto彼はみんなの前でいい顔をするね。Kare wa minna no mae de ii kao o suru ne.He puts on a good face in front of everyone.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に。最低の偽善者だと思うわ。Hontou ni. Saitei no gizensha da to omou wa.Really. I think he is the worst kind of hypocrite.
- 大翔 Hiroto裏では全然違うことを言っているしね。Ura de wa zenzen chigau koto o itte iru shi ne.And he says completely different things behind their backs.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔、あまり深く関わらない方がいいよ。Hiroto, amari fukaku kakawaranai hou ga ii yo.Hiroto, you should avoid getting too involved with him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hypocrite” translations and entries 偽善者, 偽君子, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
