Translation guide
Romantic or sexual relationships that are forbidden, secret, or socially unacceptable. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through specific nouns and phrases that emphasize secrecy, immorality, or social taboo.
A love affair that must be kept hidden, often due to social rules or existing commitments.
A love that is considered morally wrong or brings shame, not necessarily involving marriage.
A poetic phrase meaning 'love that is not on the right path'. It implies a love that goes against moral or social expectations, often used in literature or drama.
二人は道ならぬ恋に落ちた。
The two fell into an illicit love.
The direct translation '不正な愛' (fusei na ai) is not natural Japanese and sounds like a legal term. Use the specific terms above depending on the context.
不倫 (furin) specifically refers to an extramarital affair or a socially forbidden relationship, often with a serious tone. 浮気 (uwaki) means 'cheating' or 'infidelity' and can be used for less serious flings or even non-sexual wandering eyes. 浮気 is more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
彼は浮気性だ。
He is a philanderer.
不倫は離婚の原因になる。
An affair can lead to divorce.
He was involved in an illicit love affair.
不倫が原因で離婚した。
They got divorced because of an affair.
A more formal or literary term for secret communication or illicit intercourse, often used in historical or legal contexts. It emphasizes the clandestine nature of the relationship.
密通が発覚して大問題になった。
The illicit affair was exposed and became a huge scandal.
Literally 'forbidden love'. This phrase is often used in fiction or dramatic contexts to describe a love that is taboo, such as between teacher and student, or between siblings.
それは禁断の恋だった。
It was a forbidden love.
A legal or formal term for adultery. It is rarely used in everyday conversation and carries a strong negative connotation.
姦通罪は廃止された。
The crime of adultery was abolished.
Means 'scandal' and can be used in the context of an illicit love affair that becomes public. It focuses on the disgrace rather than the relationship itself.
その不倫は大きな醜聞となった。
That affair became a big scandal.