Translation guide
How to express the idea of disguising oneself or something in Japanese, including changing appearance, hiding true nature, and related expressions.
To alter one's appearance to avoid being recognized, often for a specific purpose.
The most common and general way to say 'disguise oneself'. It implies changing clothes, hairstyle, makeup, etc., to look like a different person.
彼は警官に変装して逃げた。
He escaped disguised as a police officer.
Be careful not to let your disguise be discovered.
The noun form meaning 'disguise' (the act or the costume itself).
その変装は完璧だった。
That disguise was perfect.
Often used for dressing up in costume, like for a party or Halloween. Can also mean disguise, but has a nuance of festive or temporary costume.
ハロウィンで吸血鬼に仮装した。
I dressed up as a vampire for Halloween.
A literary expression meaning to disguise oneself, often by dressing poorly or changing one's appearance drastically to hide one's identity. Conveys a sense of hiding one's true status.
彼は乞食に身をやつして敵地に潜入した。
He disguised himself as a beggar and infiltrated enemy territory.
To hide the true nature, feelings, or facts about something, often by making it appear different.
Used for disguising objects, facts, or situations to deceive. Common in contexts like camouflage, faking documents, or staging events.
彼らは事故を偽装した。
They disguised the accident (made it look like something else).
その車両は民間車両に偽装されていた。
The vehicle was disguised as a civilian vehicle.
From English 'camouflage'. Used for military or visual disguise, and metaphorically for hiding intentions or flaws.
兵士たちは車両をカモフラージュした。
The soldiers camouflaged the vehicle.
彼は自分の不安を笑顔でカモフラージュした。
He disguised his anxiety with a smile.
To deceive, cover up, or gloss over something. Often used for hiding mistakes, feelings, or facts in a casual or dishonest way.
To make something look like something else; to feign or pretend. Often used in the pattern 〜に見せかける.
To alter one's voice to avoid recognition.
Literally 'change one's voice'. The most straightforward way to express disguising your voice.
電話で声を変えて話した。
I spoke on the phone in a disguised voice.
To use a feigned voice or mimic someone's voice. Often implies a theatrical or deceptive change in tone.
犯人は声色を使って電話をかけてきた。
The culprit called using a disguised voice.
Describing the state of being disguised.
The te-form of 変装する, used to mean 'in disguise' or 'disguised as'.
彼は変装してパーティーに来た。
He came to the party in disguise.
Pattern meaning 'disguised as ~'. Insert the disguise role before に.
彼女は男に変装して城に入った。
She entered the castle disguised as a man.
An idiom meaning something that seems bad at first but results in something good.
A proverb meaning 'turn misfortune into fortune'. The closest equivalent to 'blessing in disguise'.
失業したが、災い転じて福となすで、起業するきっかけになった。
I lost my job, but it was a blessing in disguise because it gave me the push to start my own business.
Literally 'a lucky mistake'. Used when an accident or error leads to a good outcome. Slightly more casual.
電車を間違えたのがけがの功名で、旧友に会えた。
Taking the wrong train was a blessing in disguise; I ran into an old friend.
変装 (henso) is for disguising a person's appearance. 仮装 (kaso) is for dressing up in costume, often for fun. 偽装 (giso) is for disguising objects, facts, or situations to deceive.
変装 is only for people disguising themselves. For disguising objects or facts, use 偽装 or カモフラージュ.
彼は自分の失敗をごまかそうとした。
He tried to cover up his mistake.
笑ってごまかした。
I laughed it off (to disguise my embarrassment).
彼は病気に見せかけて仕事を休んだ。
He pretended to be sick and took a day off work.