怪しい
ayashii[a̠ja̠ɕiː]
The Japanese word for suspicious is 怪しい (ayashii). Wiktionary also lists 不審 (fushin).
Meaning: arousing suspicion (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 怪しい | ayashii | [a̠ja̠ɕiː] (narrow) | |
| 不審 | fushin | [ɸɯ̟ɕĩɴ] (narrow) | formal |
怪しい is used to describe things that arouse suspicion, such as people, situations, smells or the reliability of information. It often implies that something is shady or fishy.
Which one should you use?
怪しい is used for everyday, colloquial situations and can imply something is shady. In contrast, 不審 is a formal, noun-based term used in official contexts, such as news reports or police reports, to describe suspicious persons or behavior.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
不審 is the formal version used in professional or official settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
怪しい is an i-adjective. This means it can end a sentence or directly modify a noun, such as in the phrase 怪しい人 (a suspicious person).
How do you pronounce it?
ayashii
Did you know?
- In modern slang, 怪しい can be used to describe someone's language skills. If someone's Japanese is 怪しい, it means their grammar or pronunciation is shaky and unreliable rather than criminal.
- The word 怪しい is rooted in the ancient interjection あや, which was used to express a sudden realization or a gasp of surprise. This suggests the word originally described the feeling of being startled by something unexpected.
- While 怪しい usually means 'suspicious', in casual conversation it can also mean 'doubtful' or 'unlikely'. For example, if someone asks if you can finish a project by tomorrow, you might answer 怪しい to mean 'it's probably not going to happen'.
Examples in context
- 彼が怪しい。He looks suspicious.This sentence shows how to use 怪しい to describe a person.Tatoeba #1051715 by bunbuku, translation #72055 by CK
- 彼が怪しいと思う。I am suspicious of him.This sentence shows how to express suspicion toward someone using 怪しい.Tatoeba #120529 by huizi99, translation #283480 by CM
- あまりに安くて怪しい。It's overly cheap and therefore suspicious.This sentence shows how 怪しい can describe a situation.Tatoeba #10942469 by small_snow, translation #13693382 by terrywallwork
- 「その取引は少し怪しいです。」That transaction seems a bit suspicious.
- 「この人、ちょっと怪しいと思わない？」Don't you think this person looks a little suspicious?
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking through a park at night.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、あそこに怪しい人がいるよ。Himari, asoko ni ayashii hito ga iru yo.Himari, there is a suspicious person over there.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だ、ちょっと怖いね。Hontō da, chotto kowai ne.You're right, it's a bit scary.
- 大翔 Hirotoあいつ、ずっとこちらを見てるよ。Aitsu, zutto kochira o miteru yo.That guy has been staring this way the whole time.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔、早くここを離れよう。Hiroto, hayaku koko o hanareyou.Hiroto, let's get out of here quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “suspicious” translations and entries 怪しい, 不審, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 怪しい, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
