Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ミステリー | misuterī | [mʲisɨte̞ɾʲiː] (narrow) |
| 不思議 | fushigi | [ɸɯ̟̊ɕiɡʲi] (narrow) |
| 神秘 | shinpi | [ɕĩmpʲi] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the term you choose depends on whether you are talking about a book genre, a strange occurrence or a profound spiritual concept. ミステリー is used colloquially to refer to entertainment genres like crime or detective stories. 不思議 is a common way to describe something that is strange, weird or hard to explain in everyday life. 神秘 is used for deep, awe-inspiring or spiritual mysteries. Additionally, the formal term 怪異 can be used as a synonym for mystery when discussing strange or eerie supernatural phenomena.
What does it mean word for word?
ミステリー is a loanword from the English word 'mystery' written in Katakana.
Which one should you use?
Use ミステリー specifically when referring to the mystery fiction genre, such as detective novels or crime stories. Use 不思議 to describe something that is strange, weird or hard to explain in a general, everyday sense. Use 神秘 to describe a profound, awe-inspiring or spiritual mystery, such as the mysteries of the universe or nature.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 不思議 as an adjective to modify a noun, add な to form 不思議な (for example, 不思議な話 for a mysterious story).
How do you pronounce it?
misuterī
Did you know?
- The word 不可思議 (fuka shigi) is also a Buddhist term used to describe the inconceivable nature of the universe, giving 'mystery' a deep religious origin.
- In Japanese detective fiction, a 'whodunit' is often called a フーダニット (fūdanitto) in Katakana, just like the English term.
- A 'mystery' in the sense of a 'secret' is often called 秘密 (himitsu), which implies a human intention to hide something rather than a natural phenomenon.
Examples in context
- ミステリーファンなの？Are you a fan of mystery novels?This sentence is useful for asking about a preference for the ミステリー genre.Tatoeba #8748292 by bunbuku, translation #7131740 by CM
- 宇宙は神秘に満ちている。Space is full of mystery.This sentence shows how to describe the universe using 神秘.Tatoeba #189877 by bunbuku, translation #27033 by ToxicFriu
- 自然は神秘に満ちている。Nature is full of mystery.This sentence shows how to describe nature using 神秘.Tatoeba #2904768 by tommy_san, translation #1216239 by jared1981
- Nazo no monogatari (謎の物語)Mystery story
- Fushigi na basho (不思議な場所)Mysterious place
- 今週末に一緒にミステリーの映画を見ましょう！Let's watch a mystery movie together this weekend!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a book at a cafe.
- 健太 Kentaこのミステリー、すごく面白いよ。Kono misuterii, sugoku omoshiroi yo.This mystery is really interesting.
- 結衣 Yui本当？結衣も読みたくなった。Hontou? Yui mo yomitaku natta.Really? Now I want to read it too.
- 健太 Kenta結衣ならきっと気に入ると思う。Yui nara kitto kiniiru to omou.I think you will definitely like it, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui健太、教えてくれてありがとう。Kenta, oshiete kurete arigatou.Thanks for telling me, Kenta.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mystery” translations and entries ミステリー, 不思議, 神秘, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
