嘘つき
usotsuki[ɯ̟so̞t͡sɨkʲi]
The Japanese word for "liar" is 嘘つき (usotsuki).
嘘つき is a noun used to describe a person who tells lies. While 嘘つき refers to the person, if you want to describe the act of telling a lie itself, you should use the verbal phrase 嘘をつく.
Meaning: one who tells lies (noun)
Which one should you use?
The form 大嘘つき can be used to intensify the noun, meaning a "big liar" or "great liar".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
嘘つき is a colloquial and informal way to call someone a liar. Because it is somewhat blunt, its impact depends heavily on your tone. It can range from playful teasing to a genuine insult.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can intensify the noun 嘘つき by adding the prefix 大 to create 大嘘つき, which means a "big liar".
How do you pronounce it?
usotsuki
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word for 'lie', 嘘 (uso), is often used as a slang exclamation similar to 'No way!' or 'You're kidding!' when someone tells you something unbelievable.
- In Japanese culture, a 嘘つき might be viewed more leniently if the lie was a 'white lie' intended to maintain social harmony, known as 建前 or 'tatemae'.
- While 嘘つき is a noun, the act of lying is described by the phrase 嘘をつく, which literally means to 'attach' or 'stick' a lie.
Examples in context
- トムの嘘つき！Tom, you're a liar.This sentence shows how to address someone directly using 嘘つき.Tatoeba #3451423 by tommy_san, translation #4538065 by CK
- 君は嘘つきだ。You're a liar.This sentence demonstrates a standard way to state that someone is a 嘘つき.Tatoeba #4216206 by KK_kaku_, translation #1895634 by CK
- 彼は大嘘つきだ。He's a big liar.This sentence shows how to use the intensified form 嘘つき to mean a big liar.Tatoeba #4216104 by bunbuku, translation #2805927 by CK
- あの人は信用できません。常に嘘つきです。I can't trust that person. They're always lying.
- 友達に嘘をつかれたんですよ。My friend lied to me.
- あいつらは嘘つき野郎だ。Those guys are a bunch of liars.
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hana and Youta are arguing about a broken vase.
- 陽葵 Himari嘘つき！陽太が割ったんでしょ？Usotsuki! Youta ga watta ndesho?Liar! You broke it, didn't you, Youta?
- 陽太 Yota違うよ！僕じゃないよ。Chigau yo! Boku janai yo.That's not true! It wasn't me.
- 陽葵 Himariまた嘘をついたね。嘘つきはもう信じないから。Mata uso o tsuita ne. Usotsuki wa mou shinjinai kara.You lied again. I won't believe a liar anymore.
- 陽太 Yota本当に僕じゃないんだから！Hontou ni boku janai nda kara!I'm telling you, it really wasn't me!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “liar” translations and entries 嘘つき, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
