Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 信頼できる | shinrai dekiru | |
| 頼もしい | tanomoshii | [ta̠no̞mo̞ɕii] (narrow) |
| 着実 | chakujitsu | [t͡ɕa̠kɯ̟ʑit͡sɨ] (narrow) |
信頼できる is the most standard and versatile way to express that a person, an organization or a piece of information is trustworthy.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 信頼できる is composed of 信頼, meaning trust or reliance and できる, meaning can do or is able to.
Which one should you use?
While 信頼できる focuses on the ability to be trusted, 頼もしい is used to describe someone who feels reliable or dependable in a way that inspires confidence or support. Meanwhile, 着実 is used to describe a person or process that is steady, methodical and reliable in their progress or actions, rather than their moral trustworthiness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because 信頼できる is a verb phrase acting as an adjective, it can be placed directly before a noun to modify it, such as in the phrase 信頼できる人 (a trustworthy person).
How do you pronounce it?
shinrai dekiru
Did you know?
- While 信頼できる is a general term for trustworthiness, the word 頼もしい is often used specifically to describe a younger person or subordinate who shows promising strength and potential.
- While 信頼できる is common, a person who is 'trustworthy' in a social sense is often described as 誠実, meaning 'sincere' or 'honest'.
- The adjective 着実 is frequently used in business contexts to praise a 'steady' employee, but it can sometimes imply that the person lacks ambition or flashes of brilliance.
Examples in context
- 彼は信頼できると思うよ。I believe that he's trustworthy.This sentence is useful for expressing a belief about someone's character using 信頼できる.Tatoeba #9345739 by bunbuku, translation #301948 by CK
- 初対面でも、不思議と信頼できる人っていますよね？Some people feel strangely trustworthy even on the first meeting, don't they?This sentence is useful for describing the feeling that someone is 信頼できる even upon a first meeting.Tatoeba #10899579 by small_snow, translation #10991832 by watta
- 彼は信頼できるビジネスパートナーです。He is a trustworthy business partner.
- 彼女はいつも頼りになる上司です。She is a trustworthy boss whom you can always rely on.
- 彼のプロジェクト管理はいつも安心感があります。His project management always provides a sense of security.
- 彼は絶対に信用できる友達ですよ。He is an absolutely trustworthy friend, you know.
- 彼はどんな時でも頼もしいバディです。He is a trustworthy buddy no matter the situation.
- 彼はとても信頼できる上司です。Kare wa totemo shinrai dekiru joushi desu.He is a very trustworthy boss.
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are discussing who to hire for a project.
- 美咲 Misaki誰に頼むのがいいかな？dare ni tanomu no ga ii kana?Who do you think we should ask?
- 大翔 Hiroto大翔さんなら信頼できると思うよ。Hiroto-san nara shinrai dekiru to omou yo.I think Hiroto is trustworthy.
- 美咲 Misaki確かに、彼は責任感があるね。tashika ni, kare wa sekininkan ga aru ne.True, he has a strong sense of responsibility.
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、彼に任せよう。un, kare ni makaseyou.Yeah, let's leave it to him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “trustworthy” translations and entries 頼もしい, 着実, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
