Translation guide
Describes something that changes frequently or is not steady, such as a person's mood, behavior, loyalty, or a variable like weather. The most common Japanese expressions focus on fickleness, changeability, or lack of consistency.
Describing someone whose emotions, affections, or actions change often and unpredictably.
Describes a person who acts on whims, often changing their mind or mood. Can be used as a noun or na-adjective.
彼は気まぐれな人だ。
He is an inconstant person.
彼女の気まぐれには困ったものだ。
Her inconstancy is troublesome.
Specifically refers to a tendency to change one's interests, affections, or loyalties easily; fickleness.
彼は移り気で、すぐに別の趣味に飛びつく。
He is inconstant, quickly jumping to another hobby.
Literally 'easy to change', used for things like moods, weather, or a person's nature. More general than 気まぐれ.
彼女の気分は変わりやすい。
Her mood is inconstant.
Refers to a person prone to infidelity or inconstancy in romantic relationships. Often carries a negative connotation.
彼は浮気性だから信用できない。
He is inconstant in love, so I can't trust him.
Describing something that is not steady or predictable, like weather, fortune, or conditions.
Commonly used for weather, seasons, or other changeable phenomena.
春の天気は変わりやすい。
Spring weather is inconstant.
Means unstable or unsteady, often used for economic conditions, weather patterns, or emotional states.
Literally 'not fixed', used for things that lack consistency or stability. Somewhat literary.
彼の心は定まらない。
His heart is inconstant.
Describing something that is not uniform or reliable, such as work quality or effort.
Indicates unevenness or inconsistency in performance, quality, or effort. Very common in everyday speech.
彼の仕事にはむらがある。
His work is inconstant.
Means lacking consistency or coherence. More formal and often used in evaluations.
彼の主張には一貫性がない。
His arguments are inconstant.
気まぐれ emphasizes whimsical, unpredictable changes, often without deep reason. 移り気 specifically refers to a tendency to shift interests or affections, implying a lack of loyalty or focus.
The English word 'inconstant' is not directly equivalent to a single Japanese word. Using a dictionary translation like 不変でない (fuhen denai) would sound unnatural. Choose the expression that matches the specific nuance.
最近の株価は不安定だ。
Stock prices have been inconstant lately.