Translation guide
The quality of being made by humans, often in imitation of something natural, or of being insincere and forced.
Describing something that is not natural but created by humans, often with a nuance of imitation.
A common adjective meaning 'artificial' or 'man-made', often used for objects, environments, or qualities.
この庭園は人工的な美しさがある。
This garden has an artificial beauty.
Refers to something man-made, often used in compounds like 人造湖 (man-made lake).
人造の花は枯れない。
Artificial flowers don't wilt.
Loanword from English, used in specific contexts like 'artificial intelligence' or fashion.
アーティフィシャルフラワーは手入れが簡単だ。
Artificial flowers are easy to care for.
Describing a person's manner or expression that feels fake, unnatural, or overly contrived.
Describes behavior that seems forced, exaggerated, or obviously fake, often with a negative connotation.
彼の笑顔はわざとらしかった。
His smile seemed artificial.
Means 'unnatural' and can apply to both objects and behavior, implying a lack of genuineness.
Literally 'manufactured smile', a common phrase for a fake or forced smile.
彼は作られた笑顔で挨拶した。
He greeted with an artificial smile.
Critiquing a creative work that feels contrived or lacks natural flow.
Implies intentional contrivance, often used for art, writing, or speech that feels manipulated.
その映画の結末は作為的すぎる。
The movie's ending is too artificial.
Directly translating 'artificiality' as 人工性 (じんこうせい) is uncommon and sounds technical. Use 人工的 or context-specific words instead.
彼女の態度は不自然だった。
Her attitude was artificial.
Also used for performances or expressions that seem overacted or unnatural.
彼の演技はわざとらしい。
His acting is artificial.