Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| …の振りをする | …no furi o suru | |
| 見せ掛ける | misekakeru | [mʲise̞ka̠ke̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 装う | yosōu | [jo̞so̞o̞ɯ̟] (narrow) [jo̞so̞ɯ̟] (narrow) |
The phrase …の振りをする is a general way to say one is speaking or behaving to give a false or simulated appearance. A very common way to use this pattern is 寝たふりをする, which means to pretend to be asleep.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase …の振りをする, the noun 振り (furi) literally means 'appearance', 'air' or 'the manner' of doing something. This noun is preceded by the particle 'no' and followed by the verb 'suru', which means 'to do'.
Which one should you use?
While …の振りをする is a neutral way to describe general pretending, 装う (yosōu) is more often used for 'affecting' or feigning a specific state, such as pretending to be calm or pretending to be a certain social class. In contrast, 見せ掛ける (misekakeru) carries a stronger nuance of deception or trickery.
How does it change in a sentence?
This is a grammatical construction where the noun 振り is preceded by the particle 'no' and the verb 'suru'. To express that someone is pretending to be in the middle of an action (to pretend to be doing something), use the continuous form of the verb before the pattern, such as ～ているふりをする.
How do you pronounce it?
…no furi o suru
Did you know?
- Japanese has a distinct concept called 建前 (tatemae), which is the 'built-front' or the facade one presents in public, regardless of their true feelings.
- While 装う (yosōu) means to pretend or feign, its original and literal meaning is 'to dress' or 'to clothe' oneself.
- If you want to say someone is 'pretending to be a good person' to manipulate others, you might use 善人ぶる (zenjin buru). The suffix ～ぶる (buru) turns a noun into a verb meaning 'to act like', often with a critical or mocking tone.
Examples in context
- 彼女は幸せそうに見せかけているが、実際は困っている。She pretends to be happy, but in reality, she's troubled.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pretend” translations and entries 見せ掛ける, 装う, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
