Translation guide
The English word "dirty" covers a wide range of meanings, from physical uncleanliness to moral corruption, obscenity, and unfair play. This guide breaks down these meanings and provides natural Japanese equivalents for each.
Describing something covered in dirt, dust, or grime; not clean.
The most common and general word for 'dirty' in the physical sense. Can be used for objects, places, or people.
この部屋は汚い。
This room is dirty.
手が汚いから洗ってくる。
My hands are dirty, so I'll go wash them.
Literally 'is soiled/stained'. Often used for specific dirty spots or when something has become dirty.
シャツが汚れている。
The shirt is dirty.
Means 'unsanitary' or 'unhygienic'. Used in more formal or medical contexts.
不潔な環境は病気の原因になる。
Dirty environments can cause illness.
Referring to jokes, language, pictures, or content that is sexually suggestive or vulgar.
Means 'vulgar', 'crude', or 'indecent'. Commonly used for dirty jokes or lewd behavior.
彼は下品な冗談ばかり言う。
He always tells dirty jokes.
Slang for 'lewd' or 'perverted'. Often used for sexual content or behavior. Can be used as a noun or adjective.
エッチな本
dirty book (pornographic)
Legal/formal term for 'obscene' or 'indecent'. Used in contexts like obscenity laws.
Describing actions or tactics that are morally questionable, cheating, or not playing by the rules.
The same word as 'physically dirty' is also used metaphorically for unfair or mean-spirited actions.
Means 'cowardly' or 'unfair'. Often used for dirty tactics or foul play.
Casual word for 'sly' or 'unfair'. Often used when someone bends the rules to their advantage.
Referring to doping in sports or drug-related contexts.
The loanword 'doping' is used for drug use in sports. 'Dirty athlete' would be expressed as 'ドーピングをした選手'.
彼はドーピングで失格になった。
He was disqualified for doping (dirty play).
General term for 'drug use'. Can be used in contexts like 'dirty needle'.
薬物使用の痕跡
signs of dirty (drug) use
Describing a facial expression that shows anger or displeasure.
Literally 'dirty look', used for a glare or angry stare.
彼は私に汚い目つきを向けた。
He gave me a dirty look.
Verb meaning 'to glare at'. Often used instead of the noun phrase.
彼女は私を睨んだ。
She gave me a dirty look.
Referring to clothes that need washing, or metaphorically to private scandals.
Means 'laundry' (clothes to be washed). 'Dirty laundry' is often just '洗濯物' or '汚れた洗濯物'.
汚れた洗濯物をかごに入れて。
Put the dirty laundry in the basket.
Idiom for 'family scandal' or 'dirty laundry' (figurative).
内輪の恥をさらすな。
Don't air your dirty laundry in public.
Referring to an unpleasant or morally questionable task that someone else does.
Literally 'dirty work', used for both physical dirty tasks and morally questionable ones.
彼は汚れ仕事を引き受けた。
He took on the dirty work.
Means 'behind-the-scenes work', often with a negative connotation of shady dealings.
政治家の裏仕事
politician's dirty work
The English phrase 'dirty mind' (thinking of sex) does not translate directly. Use スケベ (sukebe) or エッチな考え (ecchi na kangae) instead. 汚い心 (kitanai kokoro) sounds like a morally corrupt heart, not a lewd mind.
お前、スケベだな。
You have a dirty mind.
汚い (kitanai) is an adjective meaning inherently dirty or unclean. 汚れている (yogoreteiru) is the progressive form of 汚れる (yogoreru), meaning 'has become dirty'. Use 汚い for permanent states or character, and 汚れている for temporary soiling.
この川は汚い。
This river is dirty (inherently polluted).
服が泥で汚れている。
The clothes are dirty with mud.
台所の床が汚れていた。
The kitchen floor was dirty.
彼は下品な冗談を言った。
He told a dirty joke.
それは汚い手だ。
That was a dirty trick.
わいせつ物陳列罪
crime of displaying obscene materials
dirty means / underhanded methods
Don't do anything dirty (sneaky).