Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Suspicious" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "suspicious", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
不審
ふしん (fushin)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
不審な
ふしんな (fushinna)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "suspicious" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 不審 and 不審な.
In Japanese, 不審 (ふしん (fushin)) is typically associated with "suspicious; doubtful; shady; distrustful" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to being suspicious, doubtful, shady, or causing distrust in actions, appearance, or behavior. Often used as 不審な.
On the other hand, 不審な (ふしんな (fushinna)) maps to "suspicious, questionable, dubious" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents Describes people, objects, or situations that cause suspicion, make one feel uneasy, or seem odd/unclear.. A literal translation of "suspicious" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "不審"
夜中に建物の周りをうろつく_______な人を見かけたので、すぐに警察に通報しました。
I saw a suspicious person loitering around the building at night, so I immediately reported it to the police.
Bilingual Context for "不審な"
不審な人物が家の周りをうろついていた。
A suspicious person was loitering around the house.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "夜中に建物の周りをうろつく_______な人を見かけたので、すぐに警察に通報しました。" (Meaning: "I saw a suspicious person loitering around the building at night, so I immediately reported it to the police.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "不審" fits here because it means "suspicious; doubtful; shady; distrustful" in the context of: "I saw a suspicious person loitering around the building at night, so I immediately reported it to the police.". "不審な" represents "suspicious, questionable, dubious".