Translation guide
The English word 'crooked' can describe physical shapes, dishonest behavior, or tilted positions. This guide helps learners choose the right Japanese expression for each meaning.
Describing something that is not straight, like a line, path, or object.
The most common and general way to say something is bent or not straight. It's the te-iru form of 曲がる (to bend), indicating a state.
この道は曲がっている。
This road is crooked.
彼の歯は少し曲がっている。
His teeth are a little crooked.
Describing a person or action that is morally bent, fraudulent, or illegal.
A formal adjective meaning 'unjust' or 'fraudulent'. Commonly used for crooked dealings, accounting, or elections.
彼は不正な取引で逮捕された。
He was arrested for crooked dealings.
Describing something that is not level or straight, like a picture on a wall or a hat.
Means 'tilted' or 'leaning'. Used for objects that are not upright or level.
その絵は傾いている。
That picture is crooked.
帽子が傾いているよ。
Your hat is crooked.
While 曲がった (magatta) can mean 'bent', it often implies a past action of bending rather than a current state. Use 曲がっている (magatte iru) for describing something that is crooked.
この棒は曲がっている。
This stick is crooked.
Implies distortion or warping, often used for shapes that are twisted or skewed, like a picture frame or a person's face.
この絵は歪んでいる。
This picture is crooked (distorted).
Describes something winding or zigzagging, like a river or a path. More emphatic than 曲がっている.
曲がりくねった山道を登った。
We climbed a crooked mountain path.
Means 'corrupt' or 'unscrupulous', often used for businesses or professionals like lawyers or politicians.
悪徳な政治家が賄賂を受け取った。
The crooked politician took a bribe.
Means 'shady' or 'suspicious', implying something seems dishonest or not quite right. Often used for businesses or offers.
いかがわしい儲け話に騙された。
I was tricked by a crooked money-making scheme.
Literally 'has become diagonal'. A common way to say something is askew or at an angle.
額縁が斜めになっている。
The frame is crooked.