Translation guide
The English word 'dodgy' is informal and covers a range of negative qualities: suspicious, unreliable, risky, or of poor quality. Japanese has no single equivalent; the best choice depends on what exactly is 'dodgy'.
Describing a person, offer, or situation that seems dishonest or not trustworthy.
The most common and versatile word for 'dodgy' in the sense of suspicious, shady, or dubious. Can describe people, behavior, deals, etc.
あの男はちょっと怪しい。
That guy looks a bit dodgy.
怪しい儲け話には気をつけて。
Be careful of dodgy money-making schemes.
Stronger than 怪しい, implying something smells fishy or is clearly untrustworthy. Often used for people or offers.
あのセールスマン、胡散臭いね。
That salesman seems really dodgy.
Implies something is morally questionable, indecent, or shady, often with a nuance of sleaziness. Used for businesses or people.
いかがわしい店が並ぶ通り。
A street lined with dodgy shops.
Describing something that is likely to fail, break down, or not function as expected.
Literally 'in bad condition', this is the most natural way to say a machine, vehicle, or body part is acting up or unreliable.
車の調子が悪いんだ。
My car's been a bit dodgy lately.
このパソコン、調子が悪くてよくフリーズする。
This computer is dodgy; it freezes a lot.
Means 'unstable' and is used for systems, connections, or plans that are unreliable or likely to fail.
Means 'unreliable' or 'not to be counted on'. Used for people, information, or things.
彼の言うことはあてにならない。
What he says is dodgy (unreliable).
Describing something that involves risk or potential harm.
The basic word for 'dangerous' or 'risky'. Can be used for physical danger or risky decisions.
そんな危ない橋を渡るのはやめとけ。
Don't do such a dodgy thing (take such a risk).
Loanword from English 'risky', used in similar contexts, often for financial or strategic risks.
Describing something that is badly made or of low quality.
Means 'inferior' or 'shoddy', often used for products or materials.
粗悪な部品を使っている。
They're using dodgy parts.
Colloquial word meaning cheaply made, flimsy, or shoddy. Often used for physical objects.
このおもちゃ、ちゃちですぐ壊れそう。
This toy looks dodgy; it'll break easily.
There is no single Japanese word that covers all uses of 'dodgy'. Choose the option that best matches the specific meaning you want to convey. Using 怪しい for a broken machine would sound odd; use 調子が悪い instead.
ネット接続が不安定だ。
The internet connection is dodgy.
その投資はちょっとリスキーだね。
That investment is a bit dodgy.