悪戯
itazura[ita̠zɨɾa̠]
The English word 'prank' can be translated into Japanese as 悪戯 (itazura) or どっきり.
Meaning: practical joke or mischievous trick (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 悪戯 | itazura | [ita̠zɨɾa̠] (narrow) [a̠kɯ̟ɡʲi] (narrow) |
| どっきり | dokkiri | [do̞k̚ʲkʲiɾʲi] (narrow) |
The term refers to a practical joke or a mischievous trick.
Which one should you use?
While 悪戯 refers to a general mischievous trick, どっきり specifically refers to a prank designed to surprise someone, often seen in TV shows.
How do you pronounce it?
itazura
Did you know?
- The term どっきり is an onomatopoeic word that mimics the sound of a sudden heart skip. It captures the physiological sensation of being startled during a prank.
- The kanji used in 悪戯 are not read via their standard phonetic sounds, but are instead assigned a reading that fits the word's meaning.
- In Japanese, 悪戯 is often used to describe animals, such as a cat knocking over a vase, which would rarely be called a 'prank' in English.
Examples in context
- いたずらのつもり？Are you planning a prank?
- 子供の悪戯でした。kodomo no itazura deshita.It was a child's prank.
- そんな悪戯はやめてください。sonna itazura wa yamete kudasai.Please stop that kind of prank.
- これはちょっとした悪戯です。kore wa chottoshita itazura desu.This is a little prank.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a video they saw.
- 陽葵 Himariこの動画の悪戯、面白いね。Kono dōga no itazura, omoshiroi ne.The prank in this video is funny.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ。いいアイデアだな。Hontō da. Ii aidea da na.True. That's a great idea.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔にも同じことをしよう。Daito ni mo onaji koto o shiyō.Let's do the same thing to Daito.
- 大翔 Hiroto僕に悪戯をするつもりか！Boku ni itazura o suru tsumori ka!You're planning to prank me!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prank” translations and entries 悪戯, どっきり, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries どっきり, 悪戯, CC BY-SA 4.0.
